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Title: | UK Combine |
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| Author: | Trevor Roots |
| Publisher: | Inter City Railway Society |
| Format: | Book |
| Subject: | Rolling Stock |
| Category: | Numbers - Current |
| Spec: | A5, spiral bound, card covers, colour photos on covers only |
| Publication date: | 2010-present |
| Summary: | The Inter City Railway Society publishes a range of number books, including this UK Combine. Refined over time, it now contains a remarkable amount of information. |
| Review: | With quite a few companies now producing number listing books, customers can choose titles that suit their requirements in terms of which stock is covered and how much detail is included. This book by the Inter City Railway Society is fairly comprehensive in both respects. It lists not only all main-line registered locos, coaches and units but also preserved and 'industrial' (ex-mainline) locos (including steam), most preserved coaches and multiple units, track machines (including preserved items) and the stock of all the tram, light-rail, metro and underground systems (including London Underground and, again, including preserved stock). For most stock, the owner/operator, allocation and livery is shown, the last being particularly detailed. The list of livery codes runs to 9 pages, with distinctions made between even minor variations. For locos, all previous identities are shown, as are pool codes and technical differences. The last reported location of all preserved stock is also given. |
| Reviewed: | 03/10/2019 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)
The cover of the 240-page 2019 edition. As with similar books, the only photos are those on the laminated covers.
The contents page shows just how many different groups of stock are covered.
The locomotive listing is fairly standard but uniquely includes all preserved locos in the main listing. Those not main-line registered show 'Pres' instead of a pool code.
Not only that but all preserved ex-mainline steam locos are also listed. A lot of information is shown here, such as the allocated TOPS numbers for locos that are (or have been) registered to run on the national network.
The multiple-unit section is fairly comprehensive, using much the same layout as Platform 5. However, at the end of this section is a listing of all preserved MUs.
The coaching stock listing is also conventional. If I had one gripe about this book, it would be that it is had to tell which code is which. I mean, what does 'CD CS CS PO' mean? It would have been clearer if one of the codes was in bold (perhaps the livery, as per Platform 5).
Another feature that sets this book apart is the listing of all preserved coaches (albeit limited to BR Mk1-4 and associated types). This is arranged by current number, so some items do not appear where you would expect them to. |
| Notes: |
No notes have been left yet. ?There may be some notes posted but which have not yet been approved.
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| Edits: | This item has not been edited.
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The cover of the 240-page 2019 edition. As with similar books, the only photos are those on the laminated covers.
The contents page shows just how many different groups of stock are covered.
The locomotive listing is fairly standard but uniquely includes all preserved locos in the main listing. Those not main-line registered show 'Pres' instead of a pool code.
Not only that but all preserved ex-mainline steam locos are also listed. A lot of information is shown here, such as the allocated TOPS numbers for locos that are (or have been) registered to run on the national network.
The multiple-unit section is fairly comprehensive, using much the same layout as Platform 5. However, at the end of this section is a listing of all preserved MUs.
The coaching stock listing is also conventional. If I had one gripe about this book, it would be that it is had to tell which code is which. I mean, what does 'CD CS CS PO' mean? It would have been clearer if one of the codes was in bold (perhaps the livery, as per Platform 5). 
Another feature that sets this book apart is the listing of all preserved coaches (albeit limited to BR Mk1-4 and associated types). This is arranged by current number, so some items do not appear where you would expect them to.