Railway books.
 

Trying to build up a collection of railway books covering all aspects of Britain's railways and wondered if anyone would like to recommend any titles they really like & have found useful. Only buying used books otherwise I's soon be broke.....more broke! Have about 80 titles so far & a wish list on Amazon as long as your arm, nothing too academic though :) Thanks, Steve.

The Illustrated History of British Steam Railways by David Ross.Published by Parragon Books in 2004. ISBM; 978-1-4054-8290-5. Top book.
Stuart.

Red for Danger by LTC Rolt was the book all schoolboys read when I was a lad.
Top Shed by PN Townend gives a useful insight into the internal workings of the railway.

Do you use abebooks.co.uk for secondhand books ? They're always my first choice.

Cheers, BW

Thanks for the recommendation, many books with a similar title in collection but not that one :) cheers, Steve.

Red For Danger is on the 'wants' list, have a couple of other railway accident books. Top Shed sounds interesting will definitely look into that. Have used Abebooks in the past. Thanks for the useful comments :) Steve.

Hi Steve. Forgot to mention - try to get the latest version. Alot has happened since Mr Rolt shuffled off this mortal coil, and more recent accidents have been added by others.

Another good accident book is "Tracks to Disaster" by Adrian Vaughan if you haven't already got it. Good diagrams and photos.

As a train driver I find his observations very knowledgeable, and fair.

Another fascinating read is "The Engine Driver's Manual" by Brian Topping.

Best wishes, BW

Thanks BW. Will look into Tracks to Disaster, sounds good. I know what you mean about looking at books, articles, even news items about the railway from a railwayman's viewpoint, I was on the railway for 23 years & some of the drivel you hear, especially on news items makes one cringe!
Thanks again, Steve.

Hi BW (again):) Found a copy of Tracks to Disaster for 80p plus £2,80 P&P. I note with great interest that it covers the Cowden crash. I was on duty on the Uckfield line on that fateful Saturday & was speaking to two of the people who passed away just 20 minutes before the head-on collision, which makes you think. Steve.

Two excellent reference books which should be in anybodys library;
"British Railway Steam Locomotives, 1948-1968" by Hugh Longworth. Ian Allan Publishing ISBN 978-0-86093-593-3, published 2005.
"British Railways Steam Locomotive Allocations" by Hugh Longworth. Ian Allan Publishing, ISBN 978-0-86093-642-8, published 2011.

HiSteve. That's very sad.

It reminds me of when I was road learning Selhurst Depot after joining Thameslink. The instructor asked me why there was an AWS magnet on the exit road. I didn't know because all the SouthEastern depots I signed didn't have them.

It was because of the Cowden collision that it became a requirement to test the leading cab AWS on leaving a depot.

Best wishes, John

Hi Tony. Many thanks. I have the first one but not the allocations book, will add to the 3 mile long wish list! :)
Steve.

I can certainly recommend the British Railway Steam Locomotive Allocations as it holds a vast wealth of information during those years of BR. I often refer to it for access to some of the fine locomotives that were in and around 40A Lincoln during the 50's and 60's.
I had lost my combines and other spotting notebooks when I got to the age of 16, and I lost interest. Now I can look back and see what was where, during those great years.
Very useful.
Not cheap but great value.
All the best
Phil

Cheers Phil. It's on the 'wants' list. :)