Wild Swan Modelling Reference Books

In the shop we now hold in stock every available Wild Swan title, including Journal back issues. However the task of adding all Wild Swan books to these pages has not yet been completed. In the meantime, to find all Wild Swan stock use the Browse the Shop or Booksearch links on the Bookshop Main Page.

7mm Modelling Part 2 Building a Layout		£15.95
Gordon Gravett	2000	Softback	122 pages
Written and conceived by ace modeller and all round "good egg" Gordon Gravett, this is a really wonderful book. It is full of well thought out and original ideas and unlike some other modelling "ideas" books, the schemes are all born out of practical experience. The book is aimed at the larger scale, but I defy any modeller in smaller scales not to find something of interest within its pages. In addition to very good photography, the book benefits from Gordon's drawings and sketches - wonderful to look at just as pictures. Ditchling Green is well featured, but as Gordon says, he has "poked his camera lens" at lots of other peoples work - how about a layout that masquerades as a grandfather clock when not in use! People who aren't interested in model railways just have no idea what they are missing out on.

Cottage Modelling for Pendon		£12.95
Chris Pilton	1987	Softback	92 pages
Inspired by Roye England and his Pendon museum of landscape and transport in miniature, Chris Pilton started building models of vernacular architecture in the Vale of the White Horse. This book shows how he goes about this from detailed site measurements and photography through to the modelling and finished painting of each structure, following progress on two particular buildings, one of which is thatched. Modelling aside this book is spiced with many of Roye's priceless images of the Vale taken from the 1930s, including several interior shots which graphically illustrate just how much life has changed on the "home front" for normal working people.

Creating Model Buildings in 4mm & 7mm		£21.95
Geoff Taylor	2010	Softback	138 pages
How Geoff Taylor goes about making his beautiful miniature recreations of model buildings in plastikard. After a relatively brief but effective section on "how he does it" the book treats us to a full colour look at the diverse buildings of all types that Geoff has built, interspersed with odd notes and sketches of how the models were put together and the prototypes that inspired the models. I note from various Internet discussion groups that this book has picked up some stick for "just being a catalogue" of Geoff's work. Whilst it is fair to say that the book isn't a comprehensive construction manual, I personally struggle to understand how any sentient being could summarise both the book and Geoff's achievements in such a dismissive way.

Great Western Branch Line Modelling Part 2		£12.95
Stephen Williams	1991	Softback	110 pages
A deservedly popular work of reference for modellers covering prototype buildings, fittings and traffic operation. Fully indexed by location, it is also a very attractive book about branch lines in its own right, with images tending to be historic pre - BR and detailing and illuminating the detail of the subject very well.

In Search of a Dream		£19.95
Stephen Williams	2001	Softback	218 pages
A very interesting and full account of Roye England and his life's work, Pendon. An Australian who moved to England in unusual circumstances, Roye England fell in love with the English Countryside and made it his life's work to recreate what he saw in meticulous miniature. The result was Pendon, and this autobiographical book tells its story. The text is augmented and edited by Stephen Williams, and the photographs are largely from Roye's collection. Apart from the illustrations of modelling and the fellowships that Pendon has created, this book is a pictorial testament to a landscape that no longer exists and a detailed record of vernacular architecture. The book is superbly designed and printed and is a real pleasure to read, a well written account of a unique life and achievement.

Narrow Gauge Railway Modelling		£16.95
Peter Kazer	2001	Softback	124 pages
Another superlative production from Wild Swan, illustrating and explaining the thinking and methods behind the exquisite models produced by one man. Peter has covered aspects of the subject which have not appeared in other related books, and uses his model of Corris as an example throughout. The book contains a wealth of prototype detail, and covers two other prototypes and models in some depth, the Welsh Highland (model of Dinas Junction) and the Southwold Railway. Reprinted in 2005.

A Scratchbuilders Guide to Semaphore Signal Construction		£19.95
Peter Squibb	2010	Softback	108 pages
A very well illustrated and informed guide to making signals, although I have a feeling that the words GWR ought to have been included somewhere in the title. Peter makes the most magnificent and authentic model signals, the results of meticulous and well observed modelling coupled with a knowledge of the subject gained from a lifetime spent working with the real thing. Subjects are mostly GWR as are a large majority of the photographs in the book, although the modelling techniques shown can obviously apply to any company's signals. There are some very good and original techniques shown, including the construction of lattice posts, and the whole book is beautifully produced and extremely well illustrated, with good use of colour photography for the models.