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Book review: January 2011

Reviews this issue include:
• STATIONS FROM THE AIR
• TORNADO – 21st CENTURY STEAM

STATIONS FROM THE AIR

By J.D. Smith and Webbaviation.co.uk

THOSE readers who were fortunate enough to see the pictorial images in the centre of last month’s RM will know the quality of aerial photographs in this book, having seen a small sample of the excellent fayre on offer.

This book contains all those and many, many more illustrations in what is thought to be the first major all-colour record devoted exclusively to Britain’s railways from the air.

Altogether, there are more than 200 photographs covering almost 150 venues and, despite its title, the book also includes a selection of junctions, traction depots, marshalling yards and bridges. Most major centres of population are covered (and even smaller locations such as Ribblehead, Porthmadog, Selby, Haworth and Whitley Bay). There are even a few closed stations thrown in for good measure – Glasgow St Enoch for example.

The detail in the images is remarkable and we feel sure readers will find themselves poring over the photographs far longer than they anticipated. In fact, the extended Christmas and New Year period would be an ideal time for studying such a book, so start dropping those family hints now!

SBP Publishing, 12 Tatton Close, Cheadle, Cheshire SK8 2LZ. 158pp, hardback, 231 x 231mm, ISBN 978-0-9557265-2-1. £14.99.

TORNADO – 21st CENTURY STEAM

By Jonathan Glancey

THERE is no doubt that the all-new A1 Pacific Tornado has captured the nation’s heart in its first year or so of operation – and many thousands of words have, quite rightly, been written about it.

This ‘coffee-table’ style book does justice to the locomotive and the magnificent achievements of its builders and supporters. Written by a national newspaper journalist, it tells the full inspirational story of how a group of dedicated individuals raised £3million without a single penny of public money or grants and went on to re-create a legendary locomotive class that more faint-hearted mortals feared had been lost for ever.

The book is described by the A1 Locomotive trust itself as “the definitive work” and its chapters set the scene by relating something of the story of the original A1s before going on to explain the amazing 60163 project.
   
In an important and encouraging departure from the norm in publishing circles, a generous £5 from the sale of each copy is to go to the Great Western Society to help complete the restoration of No. 4079 Pendennis Castle, which The Railway Magazine was instrumental in returning from Australia a decade ago.

A further donation will go to the A1 Steam Locomotive Trust.

Books on Track, Eaglethorpe Barns, Warmington, Peterborough PE8 6TJ; 208pp, hardback, 287 x 247mm, ISBN 978-0-9566770-0-6. £24.99.