Forthcoming book: LNER Handbook

[65447]

Seen on Amazon. Another tome by the prolific David Wragg - anybody know more about it? Backtrack's review (Vol 22 No 1) of his GWR Handbook was less than fulsome...

[Malcolm]

Just had a quick look. I have got to, somehow, get me a copy of this.

Malcolm

[mick b]

Have alook on Amazon for his other books 1* out of 5* for one

[billdonald]

Just had a quick look. I have got to, somehow, get me a copy of this.

Malcolm

Please. please give us a detailed review. Indeed it might be useful if a new section on the forums that dealt with book reviews could be created - Richard?

I say this as I recently bought a book that bitterly disappointed me. The book concerned Merseyside Electrics which called itself a pictorial history was nothing of the sort. It appeared that the authors sole criteria for inclusion was that the photograph had to be in colour. This meant there was nothing from the pre-BR period and essentially ignoring the previous 50 odd years of operations by the electric railways in the Liverpool area.

As some of you will know, my specialist subject is the various NER electrication schemes and I had bought this book to further enhance my knowlege of the non-London based electric railways. Had the book been sub-titled In the BR Period I might have revised my opinion. Nonetheless, there is still no definitive history on these railsways on Merseyside.

Bill

[Bryan]

Please. please give us a detailed review. Indeed it might be useful if a new section on the forums that dealt with book reviews could be created - Richard?

I say this as I recently bought a book that bitterly disappointed me. The book concerned Merseyside Electrics which called itself a pictorial history was nothing of the sort. It appeared that the authors sole criteria for inclusion was that the photograph had to be in colour. This meant there was nothing from the pre-BR period and essentially ignoring the previous 50 odd years of operations by the electric railways in the Liverpool area.

As some of you will know, my specialist subject is the various NER electrication schemes and I had bought this book to further enhance my knowlege of the non-London based electric railways. Had the book been sub-titled In the BR Period I might have revised my opinion. Nonetheless, there is still no definitive history on these railsways on Merseyside.

Bill

I was quite happy with my copy of this book and found it interesting.
May not have been an In Depth look but I felt it covered the subject matter adequately.
Especially as I grew up in the area and lived very close to the Southport and Ormskirk lines at various times from late 50s to 80s.

I take it you discount the John Gahan books on the Merseyside area as not giving a history of the railways?
Seventeen stations to Dingle. - LOR
Rails to Port and Starboard. - Mersey Dock railways.
Seaport to Seaside - Lines to Southport and Ormskirk.
The Line beneath the Liners. - The Mersey Railway.
Steel Wheels to Deeside. - On the Wirral.

[richard]

I've started a thread on the Book Review idea over in Suggestion Box:

viewtopic.php?f=10&t=4410


Richard

[billdonald]

...Had the book been sub-titled In the BR Period I might have revised my opinion. Nonetheless, there is still no definitive history on these railsways on Merseyside.

I take it you discount the John Gahan books on the Merseyside area as not giving a history of the railways?
Seventeen stations to Dingle. - LOR
Rails to Port and Starboard. - Mersey Dock railways.
Seaport to Seaside - Lines to Southport and Ormskirk.
The Line beneath the Liners. - The Mersey Railway.
Steel Wheels to Deeside. - On the Wirral.

Yes Bryan, I have all these boks and can recommend them. My point was that the new book merely covered the post 1948 period and the title gave no clue to this. Given the rich history of the electric railsways on Merseyside dating back to the 1890s, it seemed very odd to ignore some sixty years of pre-existing operation. It appeared to me that the sole reason for this historical myopia was the decision to onlyuse colour photographs rather then monochrome ones.

I do feel strongly that book publishers are more than happy to mislead potential buyers by selective titling. The volume of books that are now sold online facilitates this dishonesty - yes a strong word but look at the prices being charged. Thus the importance of good reviews. While this sort of thing is par for the course with those coffee table stocking fillers with titles such as Steam Locomotives or Tanks with the latter starting in 1945, established railway book publishers such as Ian Allan seem to be following this disgraceful trend as this book Merseyside Electrics clearly demonstrates. Just my five penceworth!

Bill

[jonathan cadwallader]

I am sorry if "Merseyside Electrics" has been the cause of disappointment. It was commissioned by Ian Allan as part of their wide ranging series of colour photographic albums, covering rail, bus, tram and other vehicles. Before my co-author and I had written a word I did enquire about the inclusion of a few black and white photos just to set the scene. However it was made clear to us that what was wanted was not a history of the line but an overview of the system across their standard 80 page format, using only colour photographs. I had to argue the case, thankfully successfully, for a map as I was well aware that many potential readers would not be familiar with the network.

We were very concious that within the constraints placed upon us we could not cover every station or signalbox. A great deal of time was spent on selecting the best shots that we could source and providing as much detail as possible in the space available for captions. As to the title of the book, that was ultimately the publisher's decision, but I suspect that they felt that qualifying it was unnecessary as it is made clear in the press release that it is a colour album. The book has generally been well received so clearly filled a gap. I would welcome a complete history of these lines to build upon the works of the late Jack Gahan and others but am not sure that a publisher would be interested.

Jonathan Cadwallader.

[Multiprinter]

Whilst the content and title might be the publisher's choice, it is the author who will be considered 'to blame' if content and title are inappropriate. The author may find that any future works, whoever the publisher is, will be judged, to the author's detriment, by the previous work. Bear in mind that most of us do not have a decent book shop anywhere near where we can peruse before buying.

[Autocar Publicity]

Authors do sometimes get caught in the middle. Without pointing fingers, I would say that some publishers, especially larger ones, are rather authoritarian, whereas others are more amenable to authors' suggestions and personalities. The more commercial interests are out to make money from every book, other publishers and authors view their efforts as being more educational.

I have not seen a copy of this book, but in general terms I would say that a map is crucial to any book dealing with any form of transport network, also setting the scene is appropriate, whether by a couple of introductory paragraphs or some [older] photographs.

It seems that Ian Allan should have made the scope of the book clearer. Yes, I'd see it, think "That's an Ian Allan colour album (i.e. pictures, not a general history), colour was very scarce before the 50s (or even 60s?) so this book is going to be mostly 1950s on and it'll include anything the publishers and author(s) have copyright to and they think is interesting". But I run a transport bookshop and have access to a lot of catalogues. If I didn't and saw the title on a list, or even on a web-site with little other information about it, I could be misled. That's why on our lists (or the thread on here) I try to give people an idea what sort of a book it is. I'm not saying we need a title which takes up half the page but a think a sub-title often helps. People do judge books by their covers...

[Malcolm]

Finally got my copy of this book. Had a friend in England order it on Amazon and bring it to Kuwait (postal services here are non existant). Anyway, I digress:

If I were to be honest and had a chance to see this book before I bought it I would probably have thought twice. It is more a "Beginner's guide to the LNER", or a brief overview of the LNER. Very few pictures I haven't seen before, and certainly nothing new to most of you out there. However, if you are just now getting into railway history, it is a good volume to have.
Topics covered include:

The Ancestors and Neighbours.
The London Terminae.
The constituents.
Locomotives.
Named expresses.
Carrying the goods.
Passenger business.
Publicity, accidents, what might have been, etc.

All in all, a good book for the uninitiated.

Having said all that I am still happy I have the book as an addition to my expanding library.
If anyone wants to know more details....ask me.

Malcolm

[Solario]

I will endorse what other have said about the LNER HANDBOOK.

For someone who wants an overview of the LNER this will fit the bill.

I have some niggles.

1. There are quite a number of typos ( I think that I am being generous here). Such as the date when Gresley took over from Ivatt as 1922 (should be 1911) and the wheel arrangement of the K4s as being 2-6-2 (should be 2-6-0).

2. I think the balance of photographs is not too good. For instance, there are few pictures of stations; in a chapter devoted to the London termini there are none. I don’t think there is a picture of any of the ECML major stations other than in the background of other shots. With the exception of Cambridge, all the station pictures are of relatively minor locations such as Partick Central and Maryland Point. There are numerous photographs of locomotives, some of which are not too clear although they may be of historical interest. Again, I am not sure that the balance is quite right with a definite leaning towards GNR & GER. An NER 0-6-0 or 0-8-0 on a mineral train would not have come amiss. Thompson is represented by an O1 and the K5 (twice); no Peppercorn locos.

3. There is quite a bit of repetition. In a book of about 250 pages covering such a large subject, I consider this unnecessary.

4. There are some omissions; I would not expect the book to cover absolutely everything but, for instance, there are two photographs of Raven’s express electric locomotive number 13 (lack of balance, again). Neither in the captions nor in the text is there any direct connection between this loco and the proposed electrification between York and Newcastle, although this scheme is mentioned several times (repetition again).

5. There are a few major blunders such as where the author, in the chapter on proposed electric and diesel locomotives, seems to confuse brake systems with carriage heating; I quote -

“At the time, most braked rolling stock used the vacuum brake, which utilised steam and so electric or diesel power had to include a boiler or the carriages and wagons be converted to air-braking“

One good point, in the bibliography, this website receives a mention!

Maybe I am just being finicky but I will not be parting with £27.50 for this book. If I spot it in “The Works” for a fiver, then I might be tempted!

I am fortunate that out local library (deep in LMS territory) decided to stock it.

[James Brodie]

Sirs
Do Oakwood do a book on the NE Electrics?
I once saw an advert in the G O Gazette of a firm that do 0 gauge models of the EMUs but must have put my copy in the "safe place".
I saw the advert in Amaxon for these LNER/LMS etc handbooks so when Modom is in a happy frame of mind I shall purchse all the big 4 books.
Jim Brodie.

[redtoon1892]

Yes Mr Brodie, I have that book,its Oakwood Press No 167