Coaches

Robert Hendry    [Publisher:  Ian Allan  2006]    Softback    96 pages

A bit of a curates egg this book, but at least it's all in colour! Nominally a sequel to the same author's earlier book covering the same subject from the earliest years, this is a strange collection which ranges from a very few shots of pre-nationalisation coaching stock in BR use through to very many shots of mostly multiple unit stock of all persuasions in BR but mostly post BR sectorised and privatised colours. I guess it is the recent history that is this book's strength, the shots are I think all the author's or his late fathers so captions are at least detailed, although relevant details are too often buried amongst excessive verbiage. Sorry to carp but I think this particular franchise has come to the end of the line, this book is OK.

Michael Welch    [Publisher:  Crecy  2010]    Softback    80 pages

Picture editor par excellence Michael Welch has momentarily left his Capital post to team up with Kevin Robertson and produce this all colour album of Southern railway coaching stock. As the author shows us, there was still a fantastic variety of pre grouping stock to be seen on the railway when colour photography became more routine, together with modern Bulleid stock and all in a variety of liveries from Scarlet through to the various shades of southern Region green. This is a fascinating look at passenger trains of the past and a brilliant reference for modellers.