Wild Swan Rolling Stock

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.

Great Western Auto Trailers Part One		£23.95
John Lewis	1991	Hardback	200 pages
This volume gives an historical overview of the whole subject, including the technical means of operating and all livery variations including the British Railways era. From here, all pre-grouping vehicles are covered in detail, including the conversions from steam railmotors. Because of the uses of the prototype, the illustrations show branch line and minor station detail very well, a lot of this being in South Wales.

Great Western Auto Trailers Part Two		£27.95
John Lewis	1995	Hardback	176 pages
Reprinted 2006. Covering the post grouping and absorbed vehicles, this book carries on from part one and the story continues well in to BR days, finishing with the "one eyed" conversions of normal coaches. As with the first volume, there are many diagrams, drawings and notes to accompany the excellent photographs, making this book highly useful for modellers of this subject. At the end are miscellaneous details and very comprehensive notes on allocations and histories of individual cars.

Great Western Coaches Official Drawings No.3		£10.95
John Lewis	1998	Softback	80 pages
Modern mainline stock of the GWR, from Dreadnoughts to Hawksworth stock, a few photographs but mainly very detailed drawings.

L.S.W.R. Carriages Volume One 1838 - 1900		£23.95
Gordon Weddell	1993	Hardback	246 pages
A lovely volume covering the subject of railway coaching stock from its earliest beginnings with the London and Southampton Railway right up until the fairly modern developments taking place at the turn of the Century. The photographic coverage is surprisingly comprehensive given the period covered and in illustrating the subject many interesting locations and related subjects are touched upon. There are numerous good quality scale drawings and appendices detail building, numbering and withdrawal dates.

Lancashire and Yorkshire Wagons Volume One		£21.95
Noel Coates	1990	Hardback	194 pages
A wonderfully detailed and painstakingly researched account of the wagon stock and practices of a railway which was built around industry and delivering the goods. The author observes that the wagons were quite idiosyncratic and owed little to the practices of other railways, beyond the requirements of the Railway Clearing House. This volume covers general practice, the works , liveries and then open, low and flat trucks. A second volume will cover other types, but all sorts of wagons are featured in this volume in the greneral sections. This is of particular use to railway modellers, one of which the author is, having extremely clear and explanatory drawings and sketches of the various minutae of construction and brake operation etc.

Lancashire and Yorkshire Wagons Volume Two		£35.95
Noel Coates	2006	Hardback	454 pages
Following on from volume one, with consecutively numberd photographs and diagrams, this book completes the account with a detailed examination of covered goods, coal and mineral, bogie merchandise, livestock and special wagons - including the essential brake van. Very well illustrated with informative photographs and official drawings, the book also deals with the use of wagons and their loads, several photographs showing the great bales of cotton used by the numeroust mills served by the company. An excellent reference source and another fascinating insight into how well commerce and industry were served by the steam railway.

LNER Wagons Volume 1 LNER Southern Area		£34.95
Peter Tatlow	2005	Hardback	248 pages
Although based upon the OPC book of 30 years ago, this is the first part of what is promised to be a four part set covering all of the wagons of the LNER. It is therefore a revised updated and much enlarged piece of work which bears little resemblance to the earlier work. This book covers ex Great Northern, Great Central and Great Eastern wagons, detailed photographs of good quality, scale drawings and numbering details.

LNER Wagons Volume 2 North-Eastern Area		£33.95
Peter Tatlow	2007	Hardback	204 pages
The second part of a series, this volume covering the wagon stock of the Hull and Barnsley, North Eastern and Midland and Great Northern Railways. As before, detailed photographs of good quality, scale drawings and numbering details. Part 1 (still available) contained general design developments together with wagons of the Great Northern, Great Central and Great Eastern Railways. Another superlative work of reference from Wild Swan.

LNER Wagons Volume 3 Scottish Area		£33.95
Peter Tatlow	2009	Hardback	186 pages
In the same format and level of detail as the earlier volumes, this book covers the wagon designs of the North British and Great North of Scotland Railways. These were both highly individual companies and had some quite unique looking stock, much of which disappeared from the rails a very long time ago, which makes the level of detail and photographic coverage in this book all the more impressive. Full scale drawings, details of diagram numbers and some wagon numbering and brake van allocations are also included.

LNWR Wagons Volume One		£26.95
The London & North Western Society	2001	Hardback	208 pages
Starting with a fascinating set of views and description of Earlestown Works, where nearly all L&NWR wagons were built, this book goes on to describe wagon construction and mechanical details in general, before then illustrating in meticulous detail a range of wagon types broadly covering open, cattle and flat (timber & furniture) trucks. The drawings are superbly detailed and very clear, and the excellent photographic coverage includes an impressive number of pre-grouping views. The authors have set themselves a hell of a task, a further two volumes will be required to cover the whole subject at this level of detail, and one wonders when these will ever be produced. Nonetheless, this is the best book on wagons I've seen to date for clarity and detail.

LNWR Wagons Volume Two		£29.95
LNWR Society	2011	Softback	220 pages
This second volume covers all of the vans and bogie trolleys of this significant pre grouping railway with clear photography, exemplary drawings and a well informed and readable text. What makes this book particularly compelling for me is the coverage of the "Rectank", not only are there detailed drawings but no less than three clear photographs showing a tank correctly loaded and secured and two views of loading and moving tanks onto and along the train. Source from Bovington tank museum and with an informative accompanying text, just this small part of the book is a fascinating insight into the railway aspects of the birth of a terrifying machine of war. I can recommend John Glanfield's "Devils Chariots" for anyone interested in this fascinating but horrifying subject.Going back to this book, please note that this second volume is only available as a softback whilst the first volume was a hardback.

Metropolitan Railway Rolling Stock		£19.95
James R Snowdon	2001	Softback	172 pages
Enjoying an independent existance of 70 years until its absorption into London Transport in 1933, the Metropolitian developed some very distinctive styles of rolling stock, including a surprising amount of freight stock types. This very nicely put together and illustrated book covers all the types in great detail, including numerous scale drawings and detail photographs. The book also works as a very pleasing overview and history of this very busy system, part of Edward Watkin's forward thinking railway empire.

Official Drawings of LMS wagons No. 2		£8.95
R J Essery	1997	Softback	72 pages
Very detailed works drawings of a variety of LMS wagons, accompanied by clear informative and relevant photographs. Amongst others, the wagon types include 20ton brake van, 5 plank general merchandise and the ubiquitous steel ended sliding door box van. Superb detail for model making down to the last bolt. Part 1 is unfortunately now out of print.