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Books
Wa - We
THE
WATERFORD & LIMERICK RAILWAY
by C. E. J. Fryer |
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It was a common thing, in the age when railways were
being built in the British Isles, for a small line, built to serve a local
need with locally-raised money, to progress for a while independently but
then to find it necessary to submit to the offers of a larger line and
become absorbed into it, its shareholders exchanging their shares for shares
in the larger concern. Business in the Victorian age matched the Darwinian
concept of the survival of the fittest; financial and industrial nature,
like that of the animal world, was red in tooth and claw and expected to be
so. Where the Waterford & Limerick Railway (W&LR) differed from others was
in the long-drawn-out period of its survival as an independent line, and its
phenomenal growth, first working and then absorbing other lines, though its
financial situation might have suggested corporate suicide on favourable
terms long before this actually occurred. |
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However, there were forces operating which helped it to survive, and while
this was so it kept up the illusion of a rise to greatness, and before the
end of the 19th century it had become the fourth largest railway in Ireland.
Then the favouring influence ceased, and by 1899 it was clear that it could
not carry on alone. After some protracted negotiations the largest railway
in Ireland absorbed the fourth largest - and found the digestion difficult.
Unlike many other Irish railways constructed during the 19th century, the
main line linking the two cities after which it was named is still in being,
though all but two of its branches and extensions have ceased to carry
passenger traffic and some have closed altogether. It is now more used for
freight than for passenger trains. One can still, however, make the journey
from Waterford to Limerick and back in a day all through the year - and
twice a day during summer - and find plenty of lineside interest. If fewer,
the services are quicker than they were a century ago, and may well improve
still more if the proposed railcars are introduced.
The line's period of glory was its final decade as an independent company.
It had the good fortune to have then , as its locomotive, carriage and wagon
superintendent one of the most famous of British locomotive engineers in the
days of steam, J. G. Robinson, who learned and developed at Limerick the
skills and expertise that were subsequently to make him famous on the Great
Central. He gave his engines and carriages the most colourful livery then to
be seen in Ireland, and the outlines of the few locomotives he designed at
Limerick foreshadow the graceful aspects of those he later built for the
Great Central Railway. The Waterford & Limerick line is still well worth a
visit, both for its own sake and for the attractive surroundings, the lush
countryside and the charming Irish towns where one can stroll around.
The book is to A5 format and consists of 160 pages of art paper illustrated
with more than 170 photographs, plans and maps, with a laminated card cover
with a square-backed spine. |
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OL111 |
ISBN 0 85361 543 8
ISBN 978 0 85361 543 9 |
£ 10.95 |
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WATERLOO
and CITY RAILWAY
by J.C. Gillham |
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The W & C is only 1 1/2 miles long, but for 100
years it has been a very important line, carrying far more passengers than
many much longer lines elsewhere. It owes its origin to the fact that,
like most other main line railway terminal stations bringing passengers
from afar to the city of London, the Waterloo terminus of the LSWR was
still a long way from the real centre of the City. This book sets out to
record a century of history of the W & C and transport historian John
Gillham has done so very thoroughly.
The W & C remained until very recently under the
ownership of the LSWR and its successors, and it was the only underground
railway never to come into the empire of the Underground or the
Metropolitan companies, nor therefore of the London Passenger Transport
Board, at any rate not until nearly 101 years after the passing of its Act
which created it, but in 1994 it was transferred to the London
Underground.
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The line today, and its two stations, is still
very much the same as when first built, with various small improvements,
especially better access facilities at the City end, and it was completely
re-equipped with new rolling-stock in 1940 and again in 1993.
The W & C has always been physically isolated
from all other railways, both surface and underground. Over the years
there have been several proposals to extend it to join up with other
existing railways, but all have been investigated and rejected. Its total
physical isolation has always meant that rolling stock cannot be taken
onto or off it by ordinary conventional methods, and this can only be done
vertically, by means of a hoist or a crane, which is quite a major
operation.
The book is A5 format, casebound with a
gold-blocked spine, 464 pages with more than 230 photographs, maps and
plans.
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OL117 |
ISBN 0 85361 525 X
ISBN 978 0 85361 525 5 |
£ 35.00 |
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WATERLOO-SOUTHAMPTON LINE
by R.W. Kidner
LAST FEW COPIES AVAILABLE - Order now to avoid disappointment |
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62 text pages containing 46 superb photographs with the whole book printed
on art paper. 4 maps. A5. Card covers. |
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LP140 |
ISBN 0 85361 291 9
ISBN 978 0 85361 291 9 |
£ 3.90 |
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THE WATFORD TO ST
ALBANS BRANCH
by Stanley C Jenkins with additional material from Geraint Hughes |
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The 6½
mile-long single track branch from Watford Junction to St Albans (Abbey)
opened on 5th May, 1858. The branch was, from its inception, part of the
London & North Western Railway. The St Albans (Abbey) branch started life
as a simple country branch, and remained a particularly bucolic affair
throughout its long life, and only in recent years has new housing
development en route to St Albans given rise to significant residential
traffic. The Watford to St Albans line was a candidate for closure during
the Beeching era, but happily, growing traffic led to an entirely new
lease of life for this rural route, which in July 1988 became part of
British Railways’ 25 kV ac overhead electric system.
Since the First Edition of
The Watford to St Albans Branch was published in 1990 the story
of the line has been an eventful one.
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Geraint Hughes, the Passenger
Transport Policy Manager for Hertfordshire County Council from 1991 until
2005, has contributed a new chapter - ‘Modern Times and Renewed Optimism’.
He was closely involved in the development of the strategy for the ‘Abbey
Line’ culminating in its designation as a community railway in 2004,
followed by formation of the Community Rail Partnership in 2005. In 2005
he then moved to Silverlink Trains to oversee the development of the
Community Rail pilot project until the end of the Silverlink franchise in
2007. The ‘Abbey
Line’ celebrates its 150th anniversary in 2008 having firmly established a
rapport with the community, while carrying increasing numbers of
passengers and enjoying its most successful period for well over 50 years.
A5 format, the book
consists of 128 pages of high quality art paper and includes 120
illustrations. It has a full colour glossy laminated cover and is
perfect-bound. |
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LP177 |
ISBN
978 0 85361 675 7 |
£10.95 |
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F. W. WEBB: In the right place at the right time
by John Chacksfield FRAeS, FIBS, AFAIAA, C.Eng |
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F.W. Webb was one of the great railway engineers of the
19th century. When still in his early thirties, he was appointed head of the
locomotive department of the London & North Western Railway and retained the
position until he retired over 30 years later. It was a time of great
expansion, innovation and technical progress on the railways in general, and
he ensured that the LNWR led the way. He was a pioneer in the use of steel,
for instance, designed new machine tools and improved production processes,
and was a prolific inventor, with numerous patents to his credit. He was
responsible for Crewe works, with all its functions, products and
ramifications, of which locomotive design and maintenance were only a part.
Under his leadership the works was expanded to the level at which the
Railway Magazine described it as the 'most famous works in the world'.
F.W. Webb's contribution was immense and not for nothing was he known as the
'King of Crewe'. |
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such an important position held for such a long period of time, errors of
judgement were occasionally made. More accurately, decisions were made with
the best of intentions, which were seen later to have been errors (hindsight
is a wonderful thing), and some have led to controversy on which views are
still expressed today.
In view of
Webb's importance, it is surprising that no biography has ever been
published. Now at last John Chacksfield, an experienced biographer of
railway engineers, has tackled the task with energy and enthusiasm. At the
outset, the author resolved to take an impartial stance on controversial
matters and to form judgments based only on the balance of evidence. He has
produced a thoroughly readable account which will become essential reading
for anyone interested in the railway history of the 19th century, as well as
containing much of interest to LNWR specialists. |
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Contents
Foreword by Edward Talbot
Preamble
Introduction and Acknowledgements.
The Beginnings
From Design to Production and the Bolton
Move
The Return to Crewe
Consolidation at Crewe
The Early Influences
Onwards in Design
The Three-Cylinder Compounds
Local Politics, Management and Other Issues
More Simples and Progress
More Compounds
The Final Days and Retirement
The Legacy
Appendices
Bibliography
Index |
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A5 format, the
book consists of 144 pages with 126 illustrations and is printed on high
quality art paper. It has a glossy colour card cover with a square-backed
spine. |
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OL141 |
ISBN 978 0 85361
657 3 |
£ 11.95 |
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WEMYSS
PRIVATE RAILWAY
by A.W. Brotchie |
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The definitive history of Fife’s most extensive industrial railway. It was
developed against the wishes of the NBR, which held a monopoly in Fife, by
the Wemyss Estate, to carry its considerable coal traffic. Development of
the collieries and ports (Methil in particular) is also covered in detail
in this book. Coal formed such an important factor in the total industrial
history of this part of Fife that it is impossible to tell the story
without reference to the wider implications of the social changes of the
area. The Wemyss Coal Company was incorporated into the National Coal
Board in 1947. The railway was not absorbed, it continued to be run by the
Estate - although with a management committee which included NCB
representation. Coal mining still continues in Fife, but now it is only a
shadow of its former self. A chapter on the Wemyss and Buckhaven Railway,
contributed by Alan Simpson, is included along with numerous maps,
contemporary archive material, and many evocative photographs.
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Alan Brotchie is a Chartered Civil
engineer with a life long interest in transport. A native of Edinburgh,
but a Fife resident for many years, he has researched and written
extensively on Scottish tramways.
In 1976 he published his history of the Wemyss Tramway
Company, and at that time met and recorded the memories of several of the
estate railway officials. This work on the Wemyss Private Railway is made
particularly detailed following privileged access to the privately held
records of the Wemyss Estate. With an interest in all aspects of
industrial and transport history, he is presently undertaking research
into the Halbeath and Fordell mines and associated transport.
The book is to A5 format and consists of 272
pages and is printed on art paper throughout, it includes more than 230
photographs, plans, maps etc. It is casebound with gold-blocked spine and
a laminated full colour dust jacket. |
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OL100 |
ISBN 0 85361 527 6
ISBN 978 0 85361 527 9 |
£ 22.95 |
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WENSLEYDALE BRANCH: A new history
by S.C. Jenkins |
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Running for almost 40 miles across the former North Riding of Yorkshire, the
Wensleydale line was one of the longest secondary routes on the North
Eastern Railway system. Built in stages, over a 30 year period, this
picturesque route eventually formed a link between the east coast main line
at Northallerton and the Settle & Carlisle Railway at Garsdale; although
mainly a North Eastern route, the westernmost extremity of the line was part
of the Midland Railway, and MR thereby shared in the operation of the line.
This, the Second Edition of this history has brought the story up-to-date
and now includes the controversial proposals made in 1992 and ultimately the
transfer of the railway to Wensleydale Railway plc. Writing in the Sunday
Telegraph in June 2000 a WRC Director said it was hoped eventually, to
restore the long-lost 18 miles from Redmire to Garsdale, so the line's
history is by no means closed. The line remains part of the national
network.
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The book is to A5 format and has a full colour
glossy jacket. More than 140 photographs, maps and plans illustrate the 192
pages. |
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OL86 |
ISBN 0 85361 587 X
ISBN 978 0 85361 587 3 |
£ 12.95 |
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THE WEST CORNWALL
RAILWAY - Truro to Penzance
by S.C.Jenkins & R.C.Langley |
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This book focuses on the West Cornwall Railway and the lines it bequeathed
to the Associated Companies and the Great Western Railway taking the story
right through to the present day. The background to the earliest railways
in west Cornwall are also covered.
In celebration of the 150th anniversary of the West Cornwall Railway the
Penlee House Museum & Gallery in Penzance is holding an exhibition in 2002 and it is appropriate that this book
should be published to coincide with the exhibition.
The West Cornwall Railway consists of 240 pages, it is to A5 format and
has a full colour card cover with a square-backed spine. The text has been
supported by 150 photographs, illustrations, track plans and maps. It is
hoped that this new history will be of interest to railway enthusiasts,
model makers, local historians, holidaymakers and other visitors to West
Cornwall. |
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OL122 |
ISBN 0 85361 589 6
ISBN 978 0 85361 589 7 |
£ 14.95 |
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WESTERHAM
VALLEY RAILWAY
by D. Gould |
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The railway came to the delightful market town of Westerham in 1881 and was
to serve the town for 80 years. It was originally intended for the line to
continue to Oxted, however these dreams were destined never to come to
fruition. In 1960 the Southern Region stated that it wished to close the
branch. In May 1961 the Central Transport Users’ Consultative Committee
recommended that the branch stay open as a social necessity (there were
about 200 regular passengers each day). However, the Minister of Transport,
Ernest Marples, took the undemocratic step of rejecting the TUCC’s
recommendation (possibly the first time that this had happened). The line
closed in October 1961.
That was not, however, the end of the story. In
summer 1962 the Westerham Railway Association leased Westerham station from
British Railways with plans to re-open the line for use by both commuters
and enthusiasts’ with an early proposal for preservation.
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In the end it was all for nothing, and a line that
seemed to have so much, did not reopen, despite the best efforts of the
Association and its hard-working committee. The line has suffered what might be considered the
ultimate indignity for a closed line, as part of its trackbed now lies
beneath the M25 motorway.
The book is to A5 format and consists of 128 pages
with 97 photographs/plans/maps etc and is printed on art paper throughout.
It has a two-colour Linson cover and square-backed spine. |
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LP72 |
ISBN 0 85361 515 2
ISBN 978 0 85361 515 6 |
£ 8.95 |
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WESTON,
CLEVEDON & PORTISHEAD LIGHT RAILWAY
by C.G. Maggs
LAST FEW COPIES AVAILABLE - Order now to avoid disappointment |
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One of the country’s more idiosyncratic railways. A railway that went into
receivership shortly after completion of the route. Despite this
unfortunate start, it was a line that amazingly survived for more than 40
years. The extraordinary Colonel Stephens was General Manager of the line
from 1911 for 20 years. His policies of make do and mend and the use of
archaic rolling stock, coupled with some innovative ideas gave this
railway a very special character, and enabled it to survive for as long as
it did. 160 page, 122 photographs, 7 maps, 2 locomotive drawings and
ephemera are also included to make this a ‘must’ for Light Railway
enthusiasts. Printed on art paper throughout. A5 format. Casebound with
gold blocking, printed end-papers and two-colour glossy jacket. |
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LP25 |
ISBN 0 85361 388 5
ISBN 978 0 85361 388 6 |
£ 12.90 |
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WEYMOUTH TO THE
CHANNEL ISLANDS, A Great Western Railway Shipping History
By B.L. Jackson |
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Regular railway-operated steamer services
commenced between Weymouth and the Channel Islands following the opening of
the railway to the town in 1857, and continued until the demise of Sealink.
Originally both the GWR and LSWR served the port amid great rivalry until
1860 when the LSWR withdrew to Southampton, from where the competition
continued until the disastrous loss of the Stella in 1899.
The GWR
service from Weymouth was operated on their behalf by the Weymouth & Channel
Islands Steam Packet Company, a financially impoverished concern that the
GWR were constantly bailing out. During 1878 the GWR commenced a service to
Cherbourg operating it in their own right with their own vessels,
unsuccessful, it struggled on for seven years before it ceased, leaving the
Channel Island service to the Packet Company.
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Following the loss of the
Brighton
in 1887 and the condition of the other two outdated paddle
steamers operated by the Packet Company, the GWR decided to take the service
over in 1889, providing three new steamers. From that time the service
improved and the competition with Southampton increased, this involving
racing by both companies’ steamers, resulting in several sinkings and other
incidents.
This work
commences with a brief account of the steam vessels operated by the Post
Office prior to the railway involvement, the history of the Weymouth &
Channel Island Steam Packet Company and their reliance on the GWR for mere
survival. The introduction of the GWR steamers and the improvements to the
fleet as the service developed, the sinking of vessels and other
difficulties in navigating the rock infested waters around the Channel
Islands in the days before modern navigational aids.
Although the
railway steamers were one of the principal users of Weymouth harbour, it was
owned by the Corporation, the political and historic development of this
unusual partnership is fully explained, as are the later developments during
the years between the wars and the Nationalisation of the railways which
placed the Weymouth fleet under the control of their old rivals the Southern
at Southampton, and the final years of the GWR vessels at Weymouth.
The history
of each of the 24 ships employed regularly at Weymouth since 1857 are fully
described giving many details that have not been previously published, both
technical and historical. propelling machinery, navigational equipment, the
maintenance and running of the fleet and the crews that sailed them are all
covered.
The loss of
the South of Ireland and the Brighton, the sinking of the
Ibex, twice, the second time laying under water for six months before
salvage and restoration to give a further 24 years service, and the
Roebuck, a vessel that sank three times, are all fully described. The
exploits of the fleet in both World Wars including the hell of Dunkirk and
D-Day are fully covered.
This is a
comprehensive history of the Great Western Railway Channel Islands service.
A5 format, 208 pages printed on art paper with 164 photographs maps and
diagrams complete this railway shipping history. The book has a full colour
laminated card cover, and a square-backed spine.
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X76 |
ISBN 0 85361 596 9
ISBN 978 0 85361 596 5 |
£ 13.95 |
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