KEEPING NORTH EASTERN STEAM ALIVE

Silver Link Publishing. T: 01536 330588 W: www.nostalgiacollection.com ISBN: 9781857944839 PRICE: £20.00 RATING: ★★★★★

in a fitting tribute to mark its 50th anniversary, the North eastern Locomotive preservation Group has produced this definitive history of its efforts to preserve Ner and Lner-design steam (with some forays into the LMS and industrial fields along the way). Little could the small band of enthusiasts, who met in Newcastle in 1966, have imagined that their scheme to save a ‘J27’ 0-6-0 would sow the seed of one of the movement’s largest and most accomplished organisations. How this came about is told in fascinating detail, right down to the ‘now it can be revealed’ stories - such as the sympathetic Br staff at thornaby shed who turned a blind eye to the group’s activities, or what went on behind the scenes to ensure that their engines could appear at the ‘S&d 150’ Shildon cavalcade of 1975. it’s equally interesting to learn that, had a fractured tube plate on ‘Q6’ No. 63395 been discovered before the end of North eastern steam, No. 63387 would be representing the class in preservation instead. Given that many of NeLpG’s founders and subsequent members are keen photographers, it’s no surprise to find that it’s lavishly illustrated, portraying not just the locomotives but the stalwart volunteers and their work in detail. it makes for an easy, lively read, and is a story that will be an inspiration to all preservationists.