Following on from the excellent Steam’s Lament – Bulleid’s Light Pacifics is the next title provided to me by my friends at Strathwood Publishing being Steam’s Lament – Bulleid’s Merchant Navy, Q1, Leader and Other Works . This follows the same wide landscape format and contains 208 pages often with multiple black and white photographs per page along with well researched and informative captions.
Steam’s Lament – Bulleid’s Merchant Navy, Q1, Leader and Other Works features every one of the Merchant Navy Pacifics in both original and rebuilt condition, together with a photograph of every one of the forty Q1s and all three of the Leaders that were built. Also included are some of Bulleid’s other works including his diesel & electric locomotive designs.
The photographs are from a number of sources such as: Colour Rail,Rail photoprints , Anistr.com, Rail-Online.com and the Transport Treasury so will not be new to many of us, there are also a number of photographs from other sources such as Strathwood‘s own library, that are not so familiar and many that I have not seen before. The selection of photographs covers details and variation in liveries and naming and shows the locomotives in action, on shed and in close up. The benefit is that the they are all nicely reproduced in the one book and at a good size afforded by the wide landscape format.
As well as the Leader, the book includes a few examples of: Bulleid’s drafting improvements with Lemaitre multiple-jet blast pipes and their associated large diameter chimneys, his 500hp 0-6-0 shunter 11001, the 350hp 0-6-0 shunters, the 10201-3 main line diesels and also the Bulleid/Raworth electric locos 20001-3.
By covering each locomotive in turn and including images from different periods of their working life it provides a great reference for railway historians and modellers alike, a welcome addition to my library and wholeheartedly recommended.
Two new books have hit as they say “all good book shops” in the last week or so, although both are technically outside of my own modelling time period they both are of interest for different reasons and whilst are of two different subjects they have both have colour in common…
The first is Colour Light Signalling for Model Railways, published by The Crowood Press and authored by my good friend, fellow modeller regular operator of both Canute Road Quay and Fisherton Sarum, Simon Paley.
Simon is a Signalling Principles Design Engineer with Network Rail so his knowledge of the current signalling scene is unquestionable.
The book splendidly fills a gap in the market for those wanting to model the current railway scene, as much information is already available for historical signalling but this brings the information right up to date.
The book, of 190 pages, covers all aspects (excuse the pun) of modern signalling systems starting with a brief history of coloured light signalling (where the Southern Railway is suitably mentioned) and then covers topics such as: track design and signalling, compression, signage, principles, level crossings, in cab signalling and train protection systems. Each chapter contains a well written and clear explanations (even for a bear of little brain like me when it comes to the modern scene), a wealth of diagrams and photographs and also relates the prototype practice back to model railways. The book also includes excellent photographs of correctly modelled signalling, so is an invaluable reference to allow anyone building a layout of the current scene to learn about and get this important element of the railway scene correct. It also includes a comprehensive glossary, appendices including details of relevant model signalling manufacturers.
I was very pleased (and proud) to have been able to assist Simon with some advice and proof reading of what I am sure will be his first book of many, that I believe will be become a go to source of information for modellers and those interested in signalling alike.
The second book recently published and provided to me by my friends at Strathwood Publishing is Southern Steam Days Remembered IV. This Landscape format book is in colour throughout, hence the colour theme of this post.
This volume, of 160 pages, covers Southern Region steam in the 1960s and includes further reminisces of ex Nine Elms 70A fireman Roger Carrell. Chapters cover: an introduction “one of those days” by Roger, Back to School days (yes the V Class), Branches and Byways, Names of Distinction, Southern Specials, Sheds & Work Visits, Isle of Wight Sunset and Through the Links.
With all pictures in full colour and most full page size they provide an excellent reference of the hues of the time and invaluable especially for those who like to weather their models (as the best starting point for any weathering project is a good colour photograph).
Although the majority of the pictures are from Colour Rail so will not be new to many of us, they are on the whole nicely reproduced (subject to the condition of the of the original image) at a good size, there are also a number of images from other sources that are not so familiar.
I enjoyed the read and many of the images have a pleasant candid element to them especially if you allow the eye to be drawn away from the main subject locomotive. the combination of the colour details and entire scenes within the photographs will assist modellers of the period and give or take a few years as well.
Both books are well worth a read regardless of your particular direct interest as they include a variety information and inspiration across a wide range areas and topics.
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The model railway world and mainly Southern Railway meanderings of Graham 'Muz' Muspratt
