Harold Gasson's Steam Days

Harold Gasson's Steam Days

Author: Harold Gasson

Publisher: Crecy

Published: 2020-12-12

Total Pages: 588

ISBN-13: 1800350147

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When Harold Gasson first put pen to paper more than forty years ago, it was at a time when there was a growing resurgence of interest in the steam railway. Three of his books described his life as a fireman based at Didcot shed from the early 1940s. Firing Days was followed by Footplate Days and then Nostalgia Days. Finally, after Harold had forsaken the footplate for the signal box, came the final instalment, Signalling Days. All were eagerly sought after at the time for they described the railway readers wanted to hear about, providing a nostalgic perspective which could be enjoyed from the comfort of one’s arm chair. Out of print for several decades, all four books have now been reprinted and are available together for the first time complete with a new set of illustrations. The steam engines and most of the mechanical signal boxes of Harold’s working days may have been long consigned to history but in these well-written and enjoyable books they are brought vividly back to life for a new audience to enjoy as well for those who recall his era for whom these tales will reawaken treasured memories.


Fire and Steam

Fire and Steam

Author: Christian Wolmar

Publisher: Atlantic Books

Published: 2008-05-01

Total Pages: 332

ISBN-13: 1848872615

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Now in paperback, Fire and Steam tells the dramatic story of the people and events that shaped the world's first railway network, one of the most impressive engineering achievements in history. The opening of the pioneering Liverpool and Manchester Railway in 1830 marked the beginning of the railways' vital role in changing the face of Britain. Fire and Steam celebrates the vision and determination of the ambitious Victorian pioneers who developed this revolutionary transport system and the navvies who cut through the land to enable a country-wide network to emerge. The rise of the steam train allowed goods and people to circulate around Britain as never before, stimulating the growth of towns and industry, as well many of the facets of modern life, from fish and chips to professional football. From the early days of steam to electrification, via the railways' magnificent contribution in two world wars, the checkered history of British Rail, and the buoyant future of the train, Fire and Steam examines the social and economical importance of the railway and how it helped to form the Britain of today.


GWR Locomotives: The Manor Class

GWR Locomotives: The Manor Class

Author: Allen Jackson

Publisher: Amberley Publishing Limited

Published: 2019-10-15

Total Pages: 119

ISBN-13: 1445693038

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A fascinating and lavishly illustrated guide to this iconic Great Western Railway locomotive Manor Class.


The Railways

The Railways

Author: Simon Bradley

Publisher: Profile Books

Published: 2015-09-24

Total Pages: 607

ISBN-13: 1847653529

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Sunday Times History Book of the Year 2015 Currently filming for BBC programme Full Steam Ahead Britain's railways have been a vital part of national life for nearly 200 years. Transforming lives and landscapes, they have left their mark on everything from timekeeping to tourism. As a self-contained world governed by distinctive rules and traditions, the network also exerts a fascination all its own. From the classical grandeur of Newcastle station to the ceaseless traffic of Clapham Junction, from the mysteries of Brunel's atmospheric railway to the lost routines of the great marshalling yards, Simon Bradley explores the world of Britain's railways, the evolution of the trains, and the changing experiences of passengers and workers. The Victorians' private compartments, railway rugs and footwarmers have made way for air-conditioned carriages with airline-type seating, but the railways remain a giant and diverse anthology of structures from every period, and parts of the system are the oldest in the world. Using fresh research, keen observation and a wealth of cultural references, Bradley weaves from this network a remarkable story of technological achievement, of architecture and engineering, of shifting social classes and gender relations, of safety and crime, of tourism and the changing world of work. The Railways shows us that to travel through Britain by train is to journey through time as well as space.


Modelling Signal Boxes for Railway Layouts

Modelling Signal Boxes for Railway Layouts

Author: Terry Booker

Publisher: The Crowood Press

Published: 2017-04-03

Total Pages: 597

ISBN-13: 178500297X

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It is hard to imagine a model railway layout without a signal box somewhere along the line. They were, after all, the most numerous of the steam-era buildings, and some were almost as old as the railways themselves, dating back to the mid-1800s. With the increased availability of signal box kits and ready-to-site versions, this book provides an invaluable and timely guide to just which box is right for your layout. More than twenty model signal boxes are featured in actual layout locations in the book along with forty kits and projects from Alphagraphix and Bilteezi to the latest in downloads and laser-cut kits, specially constructed with detailed and illustrated step-by-step instructions. Tips, hints and useful advice on tools and adhesives is offered along with how to scratch-build your own signal boxes using different methods and materials. Superbly illustrated with 425 colour and black & white photographs.


An Introduction to Great Western Locomotive Development

An Introduction to Great Western Locomotive Development

Author: Jim Champ

Publisher: Pen and Sword

Published: 2018-02-28

Total Pages: 314

ISBN-13: 1473877857

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The first thought, when contemplating a new study of the Great Western Railway locomotive fleet, must surely be to ask what can there be left to say? But there is no single source which gives a general introduction to the Great Western locomotive fleet. There are monographs on individual classes, an excellent multi-volume detail study from the RCTS, and superb collections of photographs, but nothing that brings it all together. This work is intended to provide that general introduction.The volume begins with a series of short essays covering general trends in design development, whilst the main body of the volume covers individual classes. For each class there is a small table containing some principal dimensions and paragraphs of text, covering an introduction, renumbering, key changes in the development of the class and information on withdrawal.The volume concludes with appendices covering the development and types of standard boilers, the various numbering schemes used by the GWR, the arcane subject of locomotive diagrams and lot numbers, and a short reference on the many lines the GWR engulfed.The majority of illustrations are new profile drawings to a consistent format. Described as sketches, they are drawn to a consistent scale, but do not claim to be scale drawings. Much minor equipment has been omitted and the author has certainly not dared to include rivets! Although most are based around GWR weight diagrams, they are not simple traces of the original drawings. Detail has been added from other sources, components copied from different drawings and details have been checked against historical and modern photographs. One must also bear in mind that steam locomotives were not mass produced. Minor fittings frequently varied in position and changes were made over the locomotives' lifetimes. Nevertheless, this collection of drawings provides a uniquely consistent view of the GWR locomotive fleet.


GWR Locomotives: The Prairies

GWR Locomotives: The Prairies

Author: Allen Jackson

Publisher: Amberley Publishing Limited

Published: 2022-11-15

Total Pages: 106

ISBN-13: 1398109649

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The latest volume in Allen Jackson's series examining the locomotives of the Great Western Railway. Profusely illustrated throughout.