Modeller’s Bookshelf
Five new titles that have kept the Model Rail team occupied over the past month.
With Leeds being one of the final outposts of BR steam in the 1960s, this book offers a fascinating collection of colour images (many previously unpublished) showing a wide variety of traction at work on passenger and freight duties. As well as BR Standards, there are plenty of LMS, LNER and WD locomotives on show, with each image offering excellent reference for weathering and detailing work. Despite the title, coverage extends further than Leeds itself, with many shots taken at depots around West Yorkshire.
Book: Steam Around Leeds in the 1960s by Keith W. Platt (Amberley)
Price: £15.99 Availability: www.amberley-books.com
From the introduction of the Class 56 in the 1970s, heavy freight diesel locomotives have played a vital role in UK rail freight operations. This collection of colour images provides a visual overview of the various locomotive types built and operated over the past 40years, including Classes 56/57/58/59/60 and the ubiquitous ‘66’. The aesthetically challenged Class 70 also gets a look-in. As well as illustrating the diversity of traffic hauled by each locomotive fleet, the title is also handy for revealing the colourful array of liveries that have appeared over the years.
Book: Heavy Freight Locomotives by George Woods (Amberley)
Price: £15.99 Availability: www.amberley-books.com
These two volumes serve up a fascinating overview of operations in the South East from the 1980s to the present day. The Sussex volume is perhaps the most interesting, with plenty of passenger workings featured (including the lamented Virgin Cross Country services from Brighton to the north), along with an interesting variety of freight traffic. The Dungeness branch and atomic flask workings are covered in detail and there’s a pleasing mix of traction on display. Engineers' trains aren’t overlooked either. Both titles are great for anyone with an interest in this corner of England.
Books: Railways of the South East – Sussex/kent by Andy Thomas (Key Books)
Price: £14.99/£15.99 Availability: www.pen-and-sword.co.uk
With Heljan’s ‘OO’ Class 45 models now available, it’s a good time to discover a new book about the mighty Class 44/45/46 ‘Peaks’. Fred Kerr’s large format hardback volume contains plenty of images of ‘Peaks’ at work on the Midland main line, Settlecarlisle and Trans-pennine routes. It’s also good to see a range of decent colour images of the ‘Peaks’ on freight traffic. Although less interesting for modellers, the preservation era is well documented too. Text is kept to a minimum, but there’s enough information provided to give an overall account of these popular diesels.
Book: BR Diesel Electric Classes 44 to 46 by Fred Kerr (Pen & Sword)
Price: £25.00 Availability: www.pen-and-sword.co.uk