Softback, 215 x 273 mm, 96 pages, 200 black and white photographs and illustrations, full colour cover.
 

Price £17.99

 Softback, 215 x 273 mm, 80 pages, 170 black and white photographs and illustrations.
 

Price £14.99

Today the Mid-Hants Railway is probably best known for its wonderful ability to recreate the BR era of the 1950s and 1960s which is remembered with affection by so many people. Locomotives in black or Brunswick green livery, coaches in SR green and stations beautifully restored in cream and green colours - what more could a Southern Region enthusiast wish for?

Construction of the line between Alton and Winchester started in 1863 and required deep cuttings and gradients as steep as 1 in 60, with trains starting to use the route from October 1865. No wonder enginemen working along the line often referred to it as going ‘Over the Alps’.
 

The Mid-Hants was not included in the Southern Railway’s electrification schemes and began a slow decline in the 1930s. Latter day interest in train workings came mainly from its use as a diversionary route for heavy expresses hauled by Southern Pacific locomotives.

Photographs selected for the book cover the last fifteen years or so of the BR era up to closure in 1973 and scenes on the preserved section between Alton and Alresford from reopening in 1978 to 2004. They have been carefully chosen to emphasise the 'Southern' nature of the line and virtually all are published for the first time.

 Softback, 210 x 200 mm, 72 pages, 85 full colour photographs.
 

Price £10.99

The Bluebell Railway has changed significantly over the years since its initial reopening in August 1960 at Sheffield Park. A large and varied selection of locomotives and rolling stock have been restored to working order, with stations and signal boxes renovated and the railway extended to Kingscote. Ambitious plans are now well underway to return to East Grinstead, thus connecting to the national rail network. The full colour pictures in this new book document the changes over the years, with the emphasis on those early days and scenes that can no longer be photographed. Also included are previously unpublished pictures from the BR era.
 

The period atmosphere of the Bluebell Railway is also captured, with photographs of items like signals, some unique to the line, and the enamel advertising signs of yesteryear. A number of outstanding photographers including R C Riley have contributed to the book and virtually all the pictures, taken between 1955 and 1970, are published for the first time.

The author has written other well-received books on the Bluebell Railway including Portrait of Bluebell Steam and Rails to Sheffield Park.

Softback, 210 x 200 mm, 72 pages, 85 full colour photographs.
 

Price £10.99

When a train ran late due to locomotive problems, the driver had to complete a Locomotive Casualty Report detailing the cause of the delay. The reports were divided into mechanical or non-mechanical failures - the former might be hot boxes, leaking tubes or problems with valves and pistons etc, while the latter related to poor coal, blocked ashpans and so on. In some cases, damage to the loco was serious enough to mean repairs could only be effected at main workshops rather than running sheds. Loco crews and fitters could face reprimands if management regarded the problem as being caused by them.

This unique book is based on detailed examination of over 400 Locomotive Casualty Reports filed at Gloucester Barnwood shed mainly in 1960, 1961 and 1963 and covers locos from many sheds from various BR regions which worked trains in the area, often showing which engines replaced the ailing motive power.

Driver's comments are recorded along with those of the running shed foreman, shedmaster and District Motive Power Superintendent.  The period under review included the changeover from steam to diesel power, making the problems of maintaining a service with run-down steam locos even more of a challenge.

The book includes extracts from the Locomotive Casualty Reporting system as initiated by the LMSR, lists of locomotives repaired at Gloucester Barnwood shed in 1960 and 1961 and many other details.

Steam Locomotive Casualty Reports gives a fascinating insight into the late steam era in a way which has probably not been done before in a book.

Softback, 215 x 273 mm, 80 pages.  Illustrated with black & white photos, documents and tables.
 

Price £12.99

The story of this route throughout the steam era is covered in some detail.

The Birmingham & Derby Junction Railway which received Royal Assent in 1836 played an important part in north to west communications, linking with the North Midland Derby to Leeds; the Midland Counties Derby and Nottingham to Rugby; and the Birmingham & Gloucester. It formally opened in August 1839, though the journey involved utilising the London & Birmingham Railway from Birmingham Curzon Street to Hampton where reversal for Derby took place. The early years were difficult with competition from the shorter Midland Counties route cutting into the B& D J's Derby - Hampton - London traffic. It was February 1842 before the B & D J opened the section from Whitacre to Stechford and Birmingham Lawley Street, thus avoiding the reversal, and 1854 before it started running into Birmingham New Street station.
 

Informative captions enhance the pictures of all this activity, covering not just the trains and varied motive power in steam days, but also all the stations, plus signal boxes, freight yards etc, giving a good account of the line's fortunes over the years.

Softback, 215 x 273 mm, 80 pages.  Around 120 black and white photos and illustrations.
 

Price £12.99