The British Railway Series - 'Tale of the Unnamed Engine', written by Simon Martin and Illustrated by Dean Walker
"The Tale of the Unnamed Engine" is a railway book. But, I suspect you know this already. However, this stands alone as its own individual book that will hopefully in time, be the first of a number of equally interesting, well-written and entertaining stories.
As soon as you pick up this book, two things are apparent - one, this is a railway book that many more people than the usual demographic can enjoy. Although aimed at the young market, it is written well which makes it more of a family book. Secondly, the artwork by the up and coming is amazing. With his radiant colouring and expert eye for detail [Go look at the museum pictures, and the close up of the LNER teak coaches] it brings the subject to life vividly.
So, the Tale of the Unnamed Engine is focused in 1948. It is a quiet salute to the end of the LNER, but a smart greeting to the golden era of British Railways Steam that many of us in the older generations will now fondly remember.
However, it is told seamlessly as a flashback, based in a railway museum. At its centre, is Stephen - the Wandering B12/3 1500 himself. His audience is a curious young lad named Stanley. Between them is a beautifully written dialogue, of Stephen explaining railway history and Stanley, like many children [and older children] recounting their own trainsets. With a scattering of history but without being patronising, the scene is set. There is a sense of pathos, and a little bittersweetness to it; as there is in real life. This adds a mature but not dull or solemn edge to the proceedings, while Stanley's curiousity keeps proceedings full of wonder - truly from the perspective of an open minded child. This is one of the hallmarks of Simon's writing, that he can include so many levels while keeping the story focused on its main subjects.
The museum is depicted wonderfully by Dean's artwork - his detail on many locomotives such as the GER Tank, the Deltic, the Class 76 electric, and of course, the eponymous B12 class, adds a vibrant dimension and brings the story to life in a third dimensional manner. The museum building and details are portrayed expertly - many will be able to instantly guess where 'the museum' truly is!
So the scene is set in which the 'tale' is told, of a brand new A1 Pacific and his first wheel turns in the great wide world. The story is woven in a manner which is not too direct, but neither does it wander off-plot. The story is not over in five minutes but instead immerses the reader into the 'universe' - which really, is our own but in history. Coaling, watering, carriage maintenance, goods trains, high-end express trains - all are depicted and written about from the point of several memorable characters including 'smug alert' Sir Ralph [Dean's illustrations again bring this character to life in a humourous manner] and the down to earth Geoffrey the shunter.
Eventually, 'Pacific' earns his wings by triumphing over adversity and by the end of the story, you can feel yourself rooting for this young engine becoming part of a brave new world.
Simon's writing has a lot to be commended for. It's written in an easygoing manner and importantly, it flows. It flows so that it can be read aloud to a younger audience, but one can read it privately and enjot it without getting bored. It's elegantly simple, but not dumb by any means. The vocabulary is designed to challenge and widen a younger audience's word range without becoming supercilious or patronising. Better still, there is a glossary at the back of the book. For older readers, it makes for an engrossing, free-riding read which has lots of story and events but does not bog you down or grow boring.
Dean's artwork I cannot praise enough - his expert detailing, his touch on shading and colour, his composition is magic. His scenes with people adds an extra touch to the proceedings - his people are living, real and relatable. In artistic terms, they're well-drawn and not stiff-looking. Look on any page and look for the backgrounds - the intricate detail to behold speaks for itself. Dean has put an intense amount of effort into this oo and it shows, given the fantastic quality of the pictures, which along with Simon's writing, creates one of the best children's railway books in a long long time.
Dean and Simon indeed have joined forces utilising their respective talents to bring a brilliant book to life, telling an engrossing tale which as said, becomes a three-dimensional narrative due to the combination of great writing and great artwork. I am sincerely hoping that The British Railways Stories have many more stories to tell in the near future. These two have the potential to become a force to be reckoned with in railway and preservation literature!
A highly enjoyable read for the young and the young-at-heart who enjoy railways!
If you have someone who might like this book, why not buy it them as a grand stocking filler for Christmas?
The very nice Mr. Simon Martin is taking Christmas orders and will be including a limited edition Christmas postcard with the book. You can purchase a copy of the book for £7.99 plus postage at http://www.britishrailwaystories.com/
=All opinions expressed in this review are expressly the author's and has no official input or influence. - Doug
