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Title:Civil Engineers Wagons series (3 books) Review image
Author:David Larkin
Publisher:Kestrel Railway Books
Format:Book
Subject:Wagons
Category:Photos
Spec:8.5in x 9.75in, 96 pages, card covers, B&W photos
Publication date:2011-2013
Summary:The third series of photo books by David Larkin was dedicated to the departmental fleets and was to the usual high standard.
Review:Having covered the BR revenue-earning wagon fleet in the series 'Wagons of the xxx Era' between 2006 and 2010, David Larkin focused on the departmental fleet for a series of three new books from 2011. The format was similar, with each volume covering a set period, and each type getting a text introduction and a number of photos. The subjects included pre-nationalistion types and both purpose-built and ex-revenue wagons, with build details and regional allocations being noted for many batches. The numerous photos, and their reproduction, were excellent. Some later titles covered the parcels and milk-tank fleets, which I hope to review soon.
Reviewed:08/07/2015 by Thomas Young (Comments made by others can appear in the notes section towards the bottom of this page)
Sample pages:(Click on any image to view full-sized in a new window)
Page image Volume 1 covered BR's first 20 years, though some of the photos were taken later.
Page image All of the main Fishkind types were covered, and a curious addition was a brief description of the animal each type was named after. Number ranges for many pre-Nationalistion wagons were included.
Page image As with the earlier books, pages facing each type's introduction normally have three photos on.
Page image Also carried over from the earlier series is the distinction between British Railways (up to 1967) and British Rail (1968 onwards).
Page image Build details for BR-built wagons were provided, along with the initial regional allocations for some types.
Page image Some of the early track machines are included, although their numbering was rather haphazard until the development of CEPS in 1974. Shown here is a somewhat Heath Robinson-looking Track Relaying Unit.
Page image The final volume covered developments up to 1994.
Page image For converted types, full numbering details were given (where known), such as this page which shows the numbers of all Shochoods modified as Dace ballast wagons.
Page image The photos are generally excellent and include some rare types and conversions.
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