LNWR Pre-Reading

A Quick note here, just to give a fine review of two magnificent works that should be tracked down post haste by anybody with a casual or obsessive interest in the London and North Western (LNWR to regular folk, The Premier Line to its fans!).

Both books are by Edward Talbot and are a little difficult to find, although the second more so and more expensive. Nevertheless, you will find them magnificent purchases of very good length and quality!

THe First is: 'The LNWR Recalled: Collected Writings and Observations on the London and North Western Railway.'

This book has information on nearly everything to do with the line: not just the usuals like the CHief Engineer or the locomotives, but also stuff like the operating department, engine driver's tales, signalling, freight...and most of the articles are written by those who actually worked on or saw the line in operation! Superbly illustrated, nearly 200 pages! A highlight are the wonderful analayses of the chief mechanical engineers from Webb to Bowen Cooke, complete with personality traits and humerous anecdotes. Those who are unkindly predisposed towards Mr Webb may very well change their opinion after reading up the reality on his tenure, which was far from the disaster writers have made it out to be!

The second book is 'An illustrated history of LNWR Engines'.

This mighty tome contains photographs, sketches and information on every single type of LNWR engine that they survive for! From the very earliest engines to right up to the LNWR's last days before being absorbed in the grouping, many of the photographs and technical drawings will be only found in this book, making it invaluable for the LNWR's fans and those researching the Premier Line.

The one nitpick with this text is that the odd picture is placed in a landscape format, meaning you've got to swivel the book to see it properly, but apart from that there's little to complain about!

So, while this review is meant solely on giving you readers the chance to brush up on some LNWR knowledge, I hope that it may convince the casual observer, who has never heard of or know much about the wonderful Premier Line (note: they called it that for a reason!), to pick up two fantastic books and dive in to some interesting reading!

A final note: you won't find these books in regular bookstores, having gone out of print about 20 years ago. There are a few copies floating around on ebay, you can find them on Amazon and Antiqbook too! However, be prepared to pay a little extra: given these books are mostly sourced from British sellers, combine the high cost of the pound with the fairly high price of the books themselves (there, I've warned you) and you might get something a little high for the ordinary railfans. But, do make the effort and have a look, you'll find them a wonderful buy!

15 Guinea Special Redux!

Hi everybody, long time no post: anyways, in the time gone past three magic things have happened in the UK steam scene:

1. Tornado is at last hauling trains on the Great Central Railway, continuing its tests! The magical sight-and sound- of the lost A1s has finally been reborn.

2. The line up of FOUR A4s at a recent National Railway Museum event- three of them in steam! (although the entry price of just under 33 POUNDS left many rail fans annoyed..

3. And finally, the 40th anniversary of one of the saddest days of them all: the end of Steam in Great Britain, with the re-running of the legendary '15 guinea Special' with the classic 'Britannia' Pacific 'Oliver Cromwell' and three ex-LMS 'Black-Fives'.

Youtube has clips of all three: here are the links:

A4 Line up

Tornado in Operation (with whistle!

15 Guinea Special!

Enjoy the links everyone. For my next article- which hopefully should be a bit sooner- I'll be releasing a break-down of two of the LNWR's Chief Mechanical Engineers- the much maligned (very unfairly so) compound man, Francis W. Webb, and his un-maligned successor, George Whale.