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Recommended Reading: Welsh narrow gauge prototypes

Page history last edited by Ian Stock 14 years, 11 months ago

Corris Railway

 

Corris - A Narrow Gauge Portrait by John Scott Morgan, Irwell Press, 1991. ISBN 1 871608 18 X

Detailed history of the development of the line, with many atmospheric photos, large-scale maps, track plans and a few poorly reproduced diagrams of locos and rolling stock.


Festiniog Railway

 

An Illustrated History of the Festiniog Railway by Peter Johnson, OPC, 2007. ISBN (15) 978 0 86093 603 9

A meticulous, if rather repeititve account of the early development of the FR, but it includes an excellent selection of pre-preservation photo's, diagrams, data and memorabilia. Nicely presented A4 format book - photos large enough to be of much modelling  use.

 

Immortal Rails vols 1 and 2 by Peter Johnson, Rail Romances, 2005. ISBN 1-900622-09-2 (vol 2).

In many ways, the post-preservation sequel to the above, vol 1 deals with the years up to 1964, the latter the remaining period. Equally meticulous and equally repetitive text, and equally excellent photography!

 

Branchlines around Porthmadog - various volumes covering 1923-46, 1954-94 and 'Great railway eras' covering the FR in the '50's and '60's. Series editors Vic Mitchell and Keith Smith, with others, all by Middleton Press. Excellent photographic surveys of the Festiniog over the years; reproduction quality varies.


Glyn Valley Tramway

 

The Glyn Valley Tramway by W.J.Milner, OPC, 1984, 144 pages, ISBN 0 86093 286 9

A very unique roadside tramway built originally as a horse tramway to serve a remote Denbighshire valley and the quarries at it's head. The book is a superb treatise of the line with numerous photos, excellent drawings and much detailed information for construction, as well as giving additional information about the quarries, their operation their equipment and locomotives. The GVT had 3 tram style locomotives about which there is more than sufficient detail to produce a realistic model. They lend themselves to hiding an oscillating steam engine inside and details have also appeared elsewhere in the press to adapt a mamod loco with finely detailed body to cover most of the 'gubbins'. Highly recommended. 

 

Glyn Valley Locomotives - 16mm scale drawings, by Bernard Rockett, Theodore Press, 2007, 48 pages, ISBN13  978-09523223-4-4

The locomotives that ran on the Glyn Valley Tramway, which was situated near Chirk, are drawn in detail to the scale of 16mm to 1 foot. The liveries that were applied are described and shown in enough detail with the variations between them as they changed over time and the painting schemes are also described and illustrated. A timeline providing information of when the locomotives were in service is also provided plus photographs of models in action on several garden model railways. With over fifty excellent drawings allowing the construction of locomotives not only from the tramway but also the quarry lines and the Snailbeach District Railway from whom 2 locos were hired to help in converting the line from horse power to steam. 

 

Glyn Valley Coaches - 16mm scale drawings, by Bernard Rockett, Theodore Press, 2001, 44 pages, (but now in a Second edition), ISBN 0 95232 238 2

Each of the Glyn Valley Tramway coaches is drawn in detail to the scale of 16mm to 1 foot. When a coach was altered during the years of service, the variants are illustrated. The construction details of one of the coaches is fully explored and the liveries are described and shown. A timeline of when the coaches were in service is included together with photographs from examples of models from several garden lines and notes on the availability of models and kits. The complex lining applied is also shown. It is similar to that applied to the Corris Railway Tramcars. Details of the GVT horse drawn tramcars are also shown.

 

Glyn Valley Goods - 16mm scale drawings, by Bernard Rockett, Theodore Press, 2004, 40 pages, ISBN 0-9523223-2-3

A book of 16mm to 1ft scale drawings of the different designs of four wheel goods wagons used on the Glyn Valley Tramway, which ran from Chirk to the  Quarries at Glyn Ceiriog. It was a horse tramway at the start and smaller goods stock was provided but when steam power came to the line many new wagons and vans were built to higher capacity and to meet the tougher operating conditions. Descriptions of each type of wagon, including the horse drawn ones, are provided along with dimensions and liveries.

 

This set of books should provide more than enough information to recreate a realistic representation of the workings of such a line. 


Kerry Tramway

 

The Kerry Tramway and Other Timber Light Railways by David Cox and Christopher Krupa, Plateway Press, 1992, 72 pages, ISBN 1 871980 11 9

This slim book covers some little known 'logging' light railways on the Welsh Borders with a wonderful collection of names, running over lightly laid tracks and round tight curves. It is an inspiration for those whose room for a garden railway is limited. It contains many photos, drawings and maps and also describes the associated industries and their equipment. The nature of these railways is such that they can more easily be realistically represented in a garden with appropriate planting. 


Padarn Railway

 

The Padarn and Penrhyn Railways by Susan Turner, David & Charles, 1975, ISBN 0 7153 6547 9

A historical treatise of a 4' gauge line linking the vast Dinorwic Quarries with the sea. There are maps, construction details, rolling stock deatils, phtotgraphs of many features of the quarries and the railway. No useful dawings. Ideal line to utilise ofr those with a small space and 'mountaiunous' fences around the garden or steep slopes. An opportunity to model an incline. 


Penrhyn Railway

 

The Padarn and Penrhyn Railways by Susan Turner, David & Charles, 1975, ISBN 0 7153 6547 9

A history of the approx. 1' 103/4" gauge line from Bethesda to Port Penrhyn down a scenically beautiful valley. There are opportunities to model inclines, slate quarries, a railway works, a sea port and an enormous variety or locomotives and rolling stock. The port also had tracks to standard gauge with avery unusual crossover. Maps, photos and lots of measurement details of the rolling stock. 


Talyllyn Railway

 

Talyllyn Railway by J.I.C. Boyd, Wild Swan Publications, 1988. ISBN 0 906867 46 0.

The exhaustive history of the TR, with Boyd's usual attention to minute detail. Covers every aspect of the railway, with many atmospheric photographs, plus excellent diagrams and detail sketches.

 

Railway Adventure by L.T.C. Rolt, Sutton Publishing Limited, 1993. ASBN 0 7509 1578 1.

Tom Rolt's classic account of the early years of the world's first railway preservation scheme. Some interesting photographs, but worth it just for the 'read' to

soak up the eccentricities of the original line. There are several editions of this book and each has different photos in. 


Vale of Rheidol Light Railway

 

 


Welshpool & Llanfair Light Railway

 

The History of the Welshpool &  Llanfair by Ralph I.  Cartwright, Rail Romances, 2002. ISBN 1-900622-06-8.

Writtem by one of the long-standing directors of the WLLR, this is the definitive account of the railway's restoration. Includes excellent photographs of both original and preserved eras, details of heritage and current rolling stock and a range of diagrams of loco's and rolling stock. 


Quarry Railways in General

 

Slate Quarry Railways of Gwynedd by Michael Messenger, Twelveheads Press, 2008. ISBN 978 0 906294 68 0

A book of pictures taken by the author on visits to various quarries in N.W. Wales mostly during the late '50s and early 60's. Superb for giving an impression of the primitive state of this industry well into the modern age. Useful photo's of various bits of rolling stock, plus some very good architectural and landscape shots - and the views of various bits of unmodellable trackwork are superb. Mixed-gauge three-way stub points? This book has the picture!

 

 

 

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