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Book & DVD review: February 2011

Reviews this issue include:
• Armstrong Whitworth – A Pioneer of World Diesel Traction
• British Passenger Express Steam Locomotives in close-up and detail Part 1: ER Pacifics

Armstrong Whitworth – A Pioneer of World Diesel Traction

By Brian Webb

THE existence of this remarkable book is due largely to the dedication of one man, the late Brian Webb.

Finding that very few company records existed for Armstrong Whitworth, he undertook to track down former employees and customers all over the world in order to gather photographs and piece together a history of this rather mysterious loco builder.

Over a period of 20 years, he amassed a wealth of information, both technical and anecdotal, and the result is this superb work of reference, published jointly by the Railway Correspondence & Travel Society (RCTS) and the Lightmoor Press.

Armstrong Whitworth’s Scotswood Works, in Newcastle, was involved in the early development of diesel traction and was well ahead of its time in that respect, turning out its first locos in 1924 and its first multiple units in 1931. But, as early as 1937 and despite a high reputation, the company ceased such construction.

Brian completed the manu-script as long ago as 1979, but while he was arranging for it to be published, he died at the tragically young age of 46 in 1981. For some reason (thought by present RCTS members to be due to a belief in the 1980s that there was insufficient interest in early diesels to make the book a commercial success), the manuscript and its illustrations were filed away and forgotten. Luckily, they have survived and now, in more enlightened times, have finally seen the light of day.

To bring the story up to date, a colour section has been added, containing details and photographs of six A-W products known to survive in preservation.

This book contains some of the rarest black & white railway photographs ever seen (most, naturally, unpublished before) and will be a welcome addition to the serious railway enthusiast’s collection.

Black Dwarf Lightmoor Press and the RCTS, 144b Lydney Industrial Estate, Harbour Rd, Lydney, Gloucs GL15 4EJ. 184pp, hardback, 280 x 219mm. ISBN 978-1-899889-45-7. £19.95.

DVD: British Passenger Express Steam Locomotives in close-up and detail Part 1: ER Pacifics

THIS disc effectively gives two programmes for the price of one. Visually, it takes the form of still photographs and brief descriptions of a large proportion of the ex-LNER Pacific fleet. Aurally, it provides a fascinating interview with ex-King’s Cross shedmaster Peter Townend and other steam age characters, including Richard Hardy.

Interspersed with it all are a sizeable number of rare colour cine film sequences depicting members of Classes A1 to A4 at locations like Grantham and York in the heyday of steam.

The disc is a useful record of the class put together with obvious feeling by compilers Bill Boswell and Nigel Fletcher. An improvement on subsequent discs in the series would be the placing of captions on the screen to let viewers know which interviewee’s voice they are listening to.

Ranwell Video (www.rail-video.com). Approx 56mins. £14.99 inc p&p.