Industrial Locomotives

Kerr Stuart    [Publisher:  Industrial Locomotive Society  2014]    Softback    28 pages

A nicely done facsimile reprint of a small brochure produced by Kerr Stuart to advertise their ingenious geared steam locomotives. Kerr Stuart were a successful and innovative company who had well regarded and established conventional designs, in addition to developing diesel power and building numbers of main line locomotives. It nonetheless went into receivership in unfortunate circumstances in 1930 with its goodwill and designs passing on to the Hunslet Company.

Jeffery Grayer    [Publisher:  Crecy  2015]    Hardback    96 pages

Contents as per the title, but I would say that the contents are more than a cut above expectations. Pictures are well chosen to illustrate not just locomotives but also the traffic being carried, the surroundings lines passed through and the rolling stock used. The pictures are all of good quality, the colour work is good and the reproduction is excellent, with a good number of images taking a whole page to great effect. I don't claim to be any expert in this field, but have definitely been a bit underwhelmed by a few books around this subject in the past - but not this one. A good number of sites are covered and very much not just the "usual suspects", including Hellingly Hospital Railway, Sylva Springs, RAE Farnborough, Vallis Vale, Southampton Gasworks and a superb collection of Kilmersdon Colliery views including the best picture I think I have yet seen of the colliery and pit head buildings. In addition from a modeling perspective there are some really good close up views of wagons, both BR and internal user - this is a great book.

Simplex    [Publisher:  RCL Publications  2015]    Softback    18 pages

A facsimile reprint of the small, and I mean small, handbook issued by Motor Rail that describes the operation of their small narrow gauge tractor units, including the "tin turtle".

Mark Smithers    [Publisher:  Pen and Sword  2018]    Hardback    200 pages

From an author who knows what he is doing, this is a comprehensive account and appraisal of the locomotive manufacturing of two highly significant companies, E.B. Wilson and Manning Wardle. Well produced and well illustrated, this is a very worthy addition to the library of books that cover the earlier years of locomotive construction.

Tony Vernon    [Publisher:  History Press  2008]    Softback    160 pages

A decent enough and well illustrated history of a Sheffield based builder of mainly industrial locomotives. Appendices list both the steam and diesel order books, the company eventually closed in 1965, which was a good achievement when compared to most other independent locomotive builders. There was a very late 20th Century rennaissance, but this ground to a halt in 2001 when the banks withdrew funding. I expect this was in order to invest in Euro trouser bonds or something even sillier.