2019



 
My plan for 2019 is to use my facebook page more and my website less.
I find the facebook page much easier to use and it enables interaction with my followers.
It allows me to do links to websites and post other interesting articles from other sites, all in all a much better more 21st century way of communicating.
To follow me on facebook search nigelbirdrailwaybooks.

4/6/19


COMING SOON.
*******************
What looks set to be the definitive work on GWR Signalling.

"GWR Signalling Practice" by David J Smith.

This fresh account of latter-day GWR mechanical signalling practice commences with an historical overview tracing its development from primitive beginnings,
 follows with a description of operating methods then considers in detail the earlier and later patterns of signal and their variety of functions.
Outside appliances and apparatus receive attention, as do signal boxes and their equipment.
Treatment of the location of signals is expanded with examples of signal layouts on double and single lines, and a case study of one particular location.
A range of appendices and an index complete the book, which is extensively illustrated with photographs, drawings and diagrams.

395 pages, over 260 photographs, 121 drawings (some official), 7 appendices, indexed.

£45 + p&p.

Advance orders taken.


15/5/19


I am AWAY until 24th May-all orders etc. will be dealt with after my return.

9/5/19

I now have SIGNED copies of Colin Gifford's new book (Transition) in stock. £35 incl. UK p&p If you have pre-ordered I will be in touch soon about how to pay.
It has been been worth the wait.
I hope to get all copies in the post before I go away for about 10 days next Thursday (16th) ALMOST SOLD OUT!!
 
20/4/19

Re Transition by Colin Gifford.If all goes to plan (!!) I should have signed copies of Colin's new book from 8th May onwards.
I will contact everyone who has shown interest in buying one and sort out payment.I will endeavour to get all copies despatched before I go on holiday for a week from 16th.



1/4/19

Transition by Colin Gifford

Latest update from the publisher!


The latest positive news to relate to you all is that I can now give you a definite date for the publication of this book.
It is not quite as soon as I would have liked but I will have the completed print-run, bound and delivered and in stock here on May 2nd. I will be spending the time from now until then organising the dispatch of the books to you.


As most of you want signed copies, the priority will be to get Colin to sign them as soon as I have them delivered.
As this will be a Thursday, and it is Bank Holiday weekend two days later,
I would anticipate at this stage that we will be sending your books out during the week commencing May 6th, providing Colin's wrist keeps up the pace!"

IF all goes to plan (ha ha) I should have my stock sometime in May.I have a large order placed for copies, all of which will be signed (I hope) by Colin.
As soon as I have copies to hand I will advise everyone who has ordered about payment etc.
I think it will be worth the wait!



22/3/19

NEW books from Lightmoor Press now available:-
Operating The Caledonian Railway Volume One,Hardback £22.50
Private Owner Wagons a Fifteenth Collection,Hardback £22.50
and two reprints
The Somerset & Dorset Railway 1935-1966,Hardback £25
The East Somerset and Cheddar Valley Railways,Hardback £30
All other in print Lightmoor books available for despatch usually within 2 days (excl. weekends)
p&p extra.

14/3/19

Judging by their "new titles catalogue" for books due between April and September 2019 it looks like Pen & Sword have a lot of confidence in the railway book market
 (I do wonder looking at some of the titles if this confidence is misplaced)
These are all listed as coming......Great Western Grange Locomotives,North British Type 2 Bo-Bo Diesel-Electric Classes 21 & 29,The Modified Bulleid Pacifics,
The Hayling Island Branch,Railways and Industry in The Tondu Valleys,Great Northern Railway Gallery,The Great Western Society,
The Southern After Steam a vision in blue and grey,British Steam Military Connections (LMST Steam Locomotives),Britian's Mechanical Signalling,
A Railway History of New Shildon,The Railway Haters,Southern Region Electric Diesel Locomotives and Units,
The Great Eastern Railway in South Essex,Directory of British Railways New and Reopened Stations 1948-2018, and An Encyclopaedia of British Bridges.
All available to pre order.A few interestng titles but a few destined for the discount bin I fear!


1/3/19

Latest update of the new Colin Gifford book!!
Transition by Colin Gifford
So it now looks like April!! (not the 1st I hope)
As I need signed copies I expect it will delay things so you may see it for Christmas!
I am almost at the point of giving up BUT as I am sure it will be worth the wait I won't!!

Update 1st March 2019

The positive news to relate to you all is that March 2019 is the month when the book finally gets printed!

To give you a summary of what happened in February, it is probably two steps forward and two steps backwards.
 I received some of the running sheets on 13th February and was impressed with the quality, so much so that I gave instructions for the rest of the pages to be printed
 providing the consistency could be maintained. They were just what we had envisaged should be the finished product right at the very beginning.

However, it was at this point that the steps backwards occurred!
The printers informed me that discussions were needed to sort out responsibility and liability for the work they had done already, despite me having declined to accept it.
I shall not bore you with the finer details but suffice it to say after much discussion we have now reached a mutually agreed position where we are going to proceed
 with the printing come what may.

The one thing we have also agreed is that I shall be at the end of the press passing the sheets as they come off and providing the level of quality control that has been required. In fairness to the printers, we are probably the most exacting customers they have ever had in terms of our requirements, but it is also perhaps equally symptomatic of the modern print industry where most skills are now in producing colour print rather than the black and white you will shortly see.

So as we finally reach the finishing straight with hopefully no more hurdles to overcome, the updates will become more frequent as I let you know positive dates for each
of the stages in the process. The actual dates will become clearer over the next couple of weeks as we progress each stage.
The printers are at the moment unwilling to commit themselves to a firm delivery date until such time as the printing has been approved and completed,
and in the light of what has happened over the last few months I can understand that.
You would normally expect the process to take four to five weeks though.
I personally am on call to spend three days with the printer – there is 30 hours of print time involved – and I will let you all know as soon as I know the date
I am called to watch the sheets come off the press.

The possible launch of the book on World Book Day will now not happen, nor its introduction on the Spring Gala weekend, but there is a Severn Valley Railway
 Open House weekend on April 6th and 7th complete with many other attractions, so we will review that possibility with how progress is over the next couple of weeks.

I can only apologise again for these delays. You have all been so understanding over the months and written such nice things that it has certainly encouraged me to ensure the
best solution for what I am sure you will appreciate, when you finally see it, is a fitting example of the work of one our finest railway photographers in Colin Gifford.



8/2/19

UPDATE......Re "Transition" by Colin Gifford.The LONG (VERY long) awaited publication of this book is getting nearer.I understand copies will be available in March.
I have a substantial order in for SIGNED copies, which may delay things a bit.Rest assured as soon as I have copies in stock I will post info. here.Still taking orders if you want one!


27/1/19

JUST IN..........small collection of OS Maps.


OS Maps for sale, all vgc

One-Inch Seventh Series:- (paper unless stated)

73-New Galloway 1965
79-Stranraer 1963
80-Kirkcudbright 1963
81-Dalbeattie 1963
120-Burton Upon Trent 1962
128-Montgomery & Llandrindod Wells 1952
132-Coventry and Rugby 1946 (Cloth)
137-Lowestoft 1946
142-Hereford 1947 (Cloth)
149-Colchester 1946 (Cloth)
155-Bristol & Newport 1961 (Cloth)
163-Barnstaple 1960 (Cloth)
165-Weston Super Mare 1964 (Cloth)
166-Frome 1962
167-Salisbury 1963
168-Winchester 1959 (Cloth)
169-Aldershot 1961 (Cloth)
173-East Kent 1962
176-Exeter 1960
177-Taunton & Lyme Regis 1960
179-Bournemouth 1966 (Cloth)
The Peak District One-Inch Tourist Map 1960

Landranger (1 ¼ in to 1 Mile)

56-Loch Lomond & Inveraray Area
121-Lincoln & Surrounding Area
180-Barnstaple & Ilfracombe Area
187-Dorking,Reigate & Crawley Area
188-Maidstone & The Weald of Kent
193-Taunton to Lyme Regis
194-Dorchester & Weymouth
195-Bournemouth Purbeck & Surrounding Area
196-Solent & The Isle of Wight
197-Chichester & The Downs
198-Brighton & The Downs
1:50 000 First Series

186-Aldershot & Guildford

Miscellaneous

Outdoor Leisure
5-The English Lakes North Eastern Area
21-South Pennines

Touring Map & Guide 3-Lake District
Touring Map Devon
Index to 1:25 000 Pathfinder Maps & Outdoor Leisure Maps (1990)
Explorer Maps 1:25 000
110-Torquay & Dawlish Newton Abbot
114-Exeter & The Exe Valley
121-Arundel & Pulborough,Worthing & Bognor Regis
122-South Downs Way,Steyning to Newhaven,Brighton,Lewes
134-Crawley & Horsham
241-Shrewsbury, Wem,Shawbury & Baschurch
OL28-Dartmoor

Prices-
Paper £2
Cloth £3
Postage extra.




23/1/19


SALE OF BRADFORD BARTON BOOKS All HALF of the price on my listings,(SEE LINK BELOW) for DIRECT orders only with payment by bank transfer, paypal or cheque ONLY.
All plus postage.Sale ends 10th February 2019
https://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/SearchResults…