Loco Spotter’S Guide

By Stuart Black. Osprey Publishing. W: ospreypublishing.com ISBN: 9781472820488 PRICE: £5.99 RATING: ★★★★★

Anyone remember The Pocket Encyclopaedia of British Steam Locomotives in Colour by o.S. Nock? it had beautifully rendered illustrations in one half, and brief class summaries in the other. this book follows in a similar vein, with excellent illustrations from Stuart Black occupying one page, and a description of the class concerned on the other. ranging from timothy Hackworth’s Puffing Billy to the modern class 68 diesels, this covers just about every major locomotive class to work in Britain over the last 200 years. For £5.99, this is terrific value for money and the perfect gift for the younger enthusiast who wants to know more about different locomotive designs. it’s not perfect however. Where are the ‘7Fs’ or the ‘Manors’? it’d be great to see further volumes, perhaps each focusing on a particular member of the ‘Big Four’ and its constituents.