From My Bookshelf

In this column, I intend to feature not only the latest and most interesting non-fiction books but I will aso be looking at some of the well-known and perhaps not so well-knon fiction boooks that are on my own bookshelf. After all some of our greatest writers - Charles Dickens and Agatha Christie, for example - have chosen railway settings on which to base their stories. Perhaps you might find something that might appeal to you

Cathedrals of Steam - Christian Wolmar;

Atlantic Books, £25.00

Christian Wolmar is one our most respected and popular authors of railway books. His latest one, published at the end of 2020, look at the stories behind London’s twelve major railway stations - more than any other country in the World.

Over the years, these stations have developed, declined and have undergone a reincarnation - some say this reflects the state of the capital, others say that it was this cycle that was reflected in the state of teh railways. One way to find out is to read this thoroughly interesting book by Christian Wolmar and enjoy the fresh look at their history and the anecdotes tied to them.

The text will hold your interest throughout and its quality is reflected in the illustrations within the book The author talks in the beginning of the book about Sir John Betjeman and draws upon him throughout the book. Truly a quality and fascinating read. - Ed

Faceless - Lockdown Poems - Adam Waugh

£10.00 plus £1.50p&p. All proceeds to Alzheimers Research UK.

The book consists of poems written by me and one by my daughter, the illustrations are done by my wife and daughter.

A lot of my poems were thoughts developed whilst driving my train or travelling into work on main line Thameslink from Peterborough.

Adam is a Tube train driver on the Picadilly LIne, a job that he has done and enjoyed for 16years. As a family they lost a wonderful Mother Grandmother Sister etc to this horrible disease and he felt that he would like to do something about it. He initially self-published 100 copies but sold out, literally, overnight.

The poems are intesting and, at times, thought provoking. I urge you to buy a copy, even if you do not like the book - and I cannot imagine how you could not, you will be helping Adam in his personal fight against this terrible disease - Ed

Right Away! Steve Davies

The Choir Press £8.99 2019

This is the story of a man who spent 48 yearsof his working life on the railway - initially at Newport, Monmouthshire, then a short spell at King’s Cross before transferring bacl to South Wales to the Ebbw Junction Diesel Depot. He was finally made redundant and completed the remainder of his career at Westbury, Wiltshire.

His story follows the traditional path from Messenger Boy to Clerk, Assistant train Driver, Driver, Instrutor Driver and trade union representative.

It is an instructive and yet entertaining story of a man’s life on teh railway, of passenger and freight trains both beforee and after privatisation.

He brings to life some bizarre incidents sucah as a traindriving gorilla, of being compared to ET through to less pleasnat events such as runaway trains and fatalities. A very intersting read and one you ill not want to put down - Ed

Upalong and Down!

The story of the Redruth &

Chasewater Railway Eric Rabjohns -

The Trevithic Society £10

In the 9150s, Eric lived close to the crossing point of the GWR Tresavean branchline and the Redruth & Chasewater Railway at Lanner Hill. His father was a railwayman who explained to him about the remains of the R&C, Many years later Eric and his wife moved to Carharrack, next to an embankment of that former line.

Ove many years, Eric has traced every last inch of teh R&C and probably knows more about it than anyone else. Consequently has has given many talks, taken groups around and now finally brings it all together in a fascinating book. It is another fascinating chapter in the very complex history of railways in this country - Ed