The Railway Book Marketplace

[swanhill41]

In the last 12/18 months there has been a distinct sea change regarding the publishers of railway books as follows.
Ian Allan /OPC ..Sold to Crecy Pub
Oakwood Pub Sold to Stenlake pub.
Wild Swan sold to Simon Castens/Titfield Thunderbolt Bookshop.
Noodle Pub and associated Imprints to Pen & Sword Pub

This follows on from Booklaws buying up of small rail publishers.

The market for rail books has in recent years has changed dramatically..Yes the internet has had a small part to play,but it is also I think a change in the buyers...Going,going gone are the old duffers like me who were brought up in steam days,and in has come and has developed a market for the new forms of traction,diesels and in particular the early ones...Also there is a small market,niche in type,which is now being supplied by the likes of the Lightmoor Press ..These publishers only print between a thousand to two thousand copies ...No remainders and books that are sought after.

I think the companies at the top reflect age issues ,Ian Allan,Oakwood and Wild Swan are that,illness and age is the last...What does interest me that even the likes of Booklaw,David Allan is 76 and a number of the others have old owners.

What are your thoughts for the future.?

 

[gazthomas]

If my own experience is anything to go by, railway books are in decline. I've only bought one this year, on a trip to the Isle of Man and these days the Internet is my primary source of news and nostalgia. I'm sure others will disagree, there does seem to be lots of new titles being published every month, from the likes of Strathwood, Middleton Press, Pen & Sword, Irwell Press and others.

 

[swanhill41]

Holding a book to read and in particular the more detailed book will never disappear...Railway books in decline is what I am talking about in fact...Middleton Press titles I don't count as they are hopelessly overpriced and poor value in my opinion....Strathwood are pictures and he is having issues with sales to the degree he has stated on his website he is considering 1.0k print runs..By the way Pen &Sword is a military history publisher...Only good publisher amongst those mentioned is Irwell which I think has over the years kept niche and kept to low print runs...A friend of mine and myself have been discussing this subject and are of the thought that there will always be a low grade rail pub market,reprints etc but after that there will be a large gap to this niche quality low print run publisher group.

 

[gazthomas]

How can you discount books that are expensive? There is a vibrant second hand market offering cheaper copies

 

[Busaholic]

Pen and Sword have taken over the publication of many transport titles that were commissioned by Ian Allan, although they didn't buy the company.

A recent article in the Guardian(?) by a bookseller (second hand) in the Borders said his best sales were, to his initial surprise, of railway books.

 

[swanhill41]

How can you discount books that are expensive? There is a vibrant second hand market offering cheaper copies

Lost you there....Yes there can be second hand copies available on occasion,though with Lightmoor books can be very limited and due to scarcity have been more than when published...First para reads wrong....Of course you can discount books that are expensive...But the caveat to that is the likes of Wild Swan and Lightmoor who produce quality expensive books,will not allow booksellers to advertise their books at reduced price...See Booklaws catalogue ,who make it clear that due publishers request no discounting

 

[swanhill41]

Pen and Sword have taken over the publication of many transport titles that were commissioned by Ian Allan, although they didn't buy the company.

A recent article in the Guardian(?) by a bookseller (second hand) in the Borders said his best sales were, to his initial surprise, of railway books.

Ref Pen & Sword ,I am not sure that is the case...As far as I know Crecy took over the book publishing side,minus name IA & OPC...Seeing most booksellers stock of rail books,surprised they sell any....Poor quality titles and certainly very doubtful condition of stock....

 

[gazthomas]

Their website has a lot of transport titles where they're listed as the publisher: https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/search/products/rail

 

[Busaholic]

Ref Pen & Sword ,I am not sure that is the case...As far as I know Crecy took over the book publishing side,minus name IA & OPC...Seeing most booksellers stock of rail books,surprised they sell any....Poor quality titles and certainly very doubtful condition of stock....

Pen and Sword announced they'd taken on the publication of three bus titles that had been due to come out under the Ian Allan imprint, and that this was to be their 'toe in the water' to establish what sort of a market there was. As they are publishing more titles this autumn/winter I take it the toe found the water warm enough! Although semi-retired, I am a bookseller by the way, so also hear and read things that are not necessarily communicated to the public!

 

[swanhill41]

I have checked out with a person in the know,who informs me that Crecy's agreement with IA was for all transport titles and stock ..The critical point in the agreement is for all book contracts that were still in force...Where there were no contracts,as with older titles then obviously they can be published as was or in updated form...Believe the commissioning editor at P&S is the author of some of the books that are due to be published ....

 

[trash80]

If my own experience is anything to go by, railway books are in decline. I've only bought one this year, on a trip to the Isle of Man and these days the Internet is my primary source of news and nostalgia. I'm sure others will disagree, there does seem to be lots of new titles being published every month, from the likes of Strathwood, Middleton Press, Pen & Sword, Irwell Press and others.

If my own experience is anything to go by railways books are booming as i'm buying loads of them!

The fact there are many new titles being published every month would indicate there is someone buying them...

 

[trash80]

The market for rail books has in recent years has changed dramatically..Yes the internet has had a small part to play,but it is also I think a change in the buyers...Going,going gone are the old duffers like me who were brought up in steam days,and in has come and has developed a market for the new forms of traction,diesels and in particular the early ones...Also there is a small market,niche in type,which is now being supplied by the likes of the Lightmoor Press ..These publishers only print between a thousand to two thousand copies ...No remainders and books that are sought after.

Sorry but i don't understand this. Are you saying no one is buying steam books anymore and that books on diesels is a fairly recent phenomenon? I don't think either is true.

The market is changing though, some well off enthusiasts out there now willing to pay a lot for books on more niche subjects and also in (sometimes ridiculous levels) depth.

 

[swanhill41]

Your second posting ,second para in fact answers the question..Well off enthusiasts buying the Lightmoor type books..Niche subjects with great depth of facts etc....That is what I said in 1st posting....I have sold 2nd hand rail books for last 10 years online,and with regards to these niche books,they sell quickly at sometimes premium prices to new...All I can say keep buying I presume these niche books,as the publishers will love it.

 

[trash80]

Yes but your other paragraph still makes no sense.