Railway books you have

Maikha · Posted: Mon Apr 07, 2008 1:44 pm

Hi all

Due to their costs, I generally am limited in the amount of Railway books I have on my shelf. However, yesterday, I couldn't resist a special offer from the authors of one book, and got a copy at the AMRA/nsw open day, signed.

Railway Portraits - Robert and Bruce Wheatley, has some really great photos in there, not just of former NSWGR steam locomotives, but the men who worked them in many long forgotten environments.

I've been quite swept away by this book, and personally recommend it to anyone who's interested in NSWGR history and great historical railway photography.

In saying this, I'd like to open the thread to anyone who have particular favourite railway books in their collection, Australian or otherwise. Another one of mine I got recently, 2nd hand, is "Steam, Steel and Stars" which features the spectacular night steam photography by O Winston Link.

Fire away! Smile

Cheers
Maikha Ly

The Intercity Platform & Valve Gear Media!
http://www.theintercityplatform.com/

Comments made are that of my own, and do not reflect those of organisations mentioned.

R704 · Posted: Mon Apr 07, 2008 3:24 pm

i have lots, probably over 100.
ranging from loco manuals, rules and regs, signaling, workings, 3 novels, and many pictorial and historical based books.

i'll have to make a list when i get home

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macey · Posted: Mon Apr 07, 2008 3:45 pm

Just some im my shelf

Railway Portraits
30 class standerds in steam
32 class " "
50 class " "
53 55 class " "
P class
59 class
36 class
60 class
38 class
time of the passenger train 1,2,3
day of the goods train
coaching stock 1,2
tender into tank
South maitland railways
locomotives of australia
trackside 1,2
a century of loco hauled nsw hauled passenger carriages
green diesels
mercy trains
seasons of steam
away with steam
the last day of steam (another book by Robert and Bruce Wheatley)
remember when 2

There are a heap others but cant be bothered writing them all down

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Z1NorthernProgress2110 · Posted: Mon Apr 07, 2008 3:59 pm

Got a few, from the special Clyde lift out, out of Network Rail mag to the proper size books.

But, my favorite book, the one that i read the most is Motive Power by Leon Oberg, second fave would be that fantastic Port Dock published South Australian Diesel Pictorial, the 80s.

Cheers Damien Smith
http://z1-2110gallery.fotopic.net
Updated 28th September, includes various Y2151 shunting and Upper Burnie lookout pics

TE2815 · Posted: Mon Apr 07, 2008 5:00 pm

I have and have had several. Some I wish I had kept.

When I moved recently I disposed of the Endeavour/Xplorer diagram book.

Photography wise I have "Among their favourites" which was given to me by one the photographers who frequented Picton when I worked there as a thank you, or gift, for the assistance given to railfans. (Before the "incident" that is).

Some others I have:

I have been going to get Sydney's Electric Trains, but waiting to order it with something else to save postage Wink

.

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Colhad · Posted: Mon Apr 07, 2008 8:05 pm

I have a few, let's see....

Motive Power (The book by Leon Oberg)
Trains of the World (Brian Hollingsorth)

I have a couple of other ones that I can't remember the names of.

click for image QRIG gallery updated 20-5-08

http://s41.photobucket.com/albums/e299/Colhad/ updated 20-5-08

http://colin7336.fotopic.net/ updated 7-4-08

Queensland Rail

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MBAX · Posted: Mon Apr 07, 2008 8:45 pm

If you are interested in reading about South Australian Railways from the mid 60's to mid 80's one of my favourites is a book called "Wouldn't Have Missed it For Quids" by Cliff Olds.

The book was published in 1996 and is a very entertaining look at Cliff Old's railway career from the Peterborough Division (all gauges) to finishing up in the 80's around Mount Gambier and the mainline Board with VR and SAR locos running interstate operations.

If you see it this one is well worth buying, some great photos too.

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Gwiwer · Posted: Mon Apr 07, 2008 9:55 pm

I don't have as many reference works as perhaps might be the case for someone considered by others to be a more senior enthusiast. One of the reasons is that I had to make some choices when shifting to Australia some 8 years ago in that it simply wasn't possible to pack 30+ years-worth of magazine runs and a large number of books most of which might have never been read or referred to more than once. The sale of these items helped fund the big move.

The library currently holds around 150 titles of reference interest ranging from slim softbound line guides to the reprinted July 1922 "Bradshaw" and including a couple of superb works illustrating respectively the artwork of Terence Cuneo and the Great Western Railway in early photographs. There are also magazine runs dating from the re-start of my collection in January 2000 and single copies of those magazines to which I do not subscribe but bought and kept for specific articles of interest.

Of the reference titles there are several in the landscape pictorial format currently popular in the UK with large photos and extended captions rather than full text. I find these show in photographic form much more than can be described in as many pages of text and are invaluable also for modelling reference.

On the more general side there have been some notable reads:-

"The Railway Station" (Jeffrey Richards and John M McKenzie, first published 1986) is a fascinating broad-brush socio-economic history and potrayal of the importance of the railway station worldwide.

"The Ghan" (Basil Fuller, first published 1975) is a remarkable account of the reasoning behind, surveying, construction, operation and ultimate demise of the early narrow gauge Ghan operation. It includes some rare very early photographs including one of Quorn station yard in the 1880's and another of the "slow mixed" (which became known as "The Afghan", later shortened to the "'Ghan") comprising an early steam loco, numerous open goods trucks and cattle wagons plus a few passenger coaches at the rear.

"The Big Red Train Ride" (Eric Newby, 1978) is a portrayal of two Westerner's experiences on the Trans-Siberian "Rossiya" train in Soviet days and at times is as tedious to read as the journey must have been for Mr and Mrs Newby. As a piece of travel writing it gives a wonderful insight into a classic (though far from comfortable and easy) journey and the lives of ordinary Soviet people which would otherwise have seldom if ever been brought of the notice of the Western world. He mentions at times the determined efforts of the train crew to prevent him talking with locals and taking pictures.

I also treasure my signed copy of "Coach North", a novel by Phillip McCutcheon, for which I researched and provided much of the technical information and gave advice on operating methods of the time.

There are three books which I would dearly love to have in the library but first I have to write them! The outline plans exist as does a little of the research but until such time as I can be supported by other means than near-full time employment I have not the time to pursue these projects. No matter as they can probably wait a little longer. Two projects are transport related and one has been discussed privately with a few members of our community (among others) while the third will be travel writing in the sense that it shall be an account of my travels upon Shank's Pony.

CEO Penhayle Bay Railway. Ferroequinologist. BA Hons (Honourable Bachelor of Aquatarts

)
The wise yet mysterious Sir Gwiwer Greybeard

Ballast_Plough · Posted: Tue Apr 08, 2008 12:20 am

"Red For Danger" by L.T.C. Rolt is excellent stuff.

My pics here - and the Forsayth Goods here!

Brendan McKenna
Member / Volunteer PBR, YVTR, past member of PRR, VGR!!!

MarkWaller2 · Posted: Tue Apr 08, 2008 8:55 am

duttonbay · Posted: Tue Apr 08, 2008 9:43 am

Valvegear · Posted: Tue Apr 08, 2008 10:20 am

The favourite on my shelf is "Hudson Power". Beside it are two of Lloyd Holmes' books; "A Railway Life", and "The Branch Line" .
"Red for Danger" is there as well.
I also own assorted handbooks such as Westinghouse Air Brake for both steam and electric; the VR Gradients and Curves book circa 1925, and a couple of editions of Victorian Stations ( useful for solving the cryptics in another post!)
I also inherited a notebook listing the details of Indicator Card tests on H220's first run in February 1941. As well as the notebook, I have the original Indicator Cards. The book also lists details of another H220 test run in 1948.
It's an interesting assortment.

Cynic - a man who smells flowers and immediately looks for the funeral.

Broadway · Posted: Mon Apr 14, 2008 10:50 pm

'Red for Danger' for me as well.

Also 'Beyond Hidden Dangers' by Stanley Hall - another study of British Railway accidents which deals in particular with the series of terrible accidents in the late 1990's / early 00's in the UK (Southall, Ladbroke Grove, Hatfield and Great Heck)

And the best pictorial railway book I've seen in ages, 'A Bulldog Odyssey' (George Bamberry)

bingley hall · Posted: Tue Apr 22, 2008 9:25 am

Z1NorthernProgress2110 · Posted: Tue Apr 22, 2008 1:09 pm