Garden Railway Forum

Just took delivery of this book from Camden Miniature Steam Services,my god I'm glad I did! The drawings are simply superb, It's one of those books that once its out of print you wished you'd bought.

John

Glad you found my recommendation useful. Not exactly a cheap book but I agree worth every penny.

Brian

Yes Thanks for that Brian, I've also ordered some 2mm Ply, my current thinking is I am going to paint and finish the sides before assembly like a pre-painted kit.

John

I must admit I'd been thinking along similar lines myself. I haven't made much progress recently with my third coach and it crossed my mind that it would be a lot easier to paint and line it while still flat on the bench.

I will look forward to seeing some photos of yours in due course,

Brian

It really is a cracking book.

It's THE book for those who model the L&B, and one of my favourites on my book shelf!

Please note that this book is by two authors, not as stated: - Stephen D. Phillips in conjunction with Michael J. Bishop.

This book is a labour of love and a work of art. My favorite railway title that I have a compulsion to dip into every now and then. I won mine in a raffle after the chance purchase of a £1 ticket at the Warley NEC show. It was around the date of its publication and after having been button holed by the crew at the "County Gate" layout to buy one. I was so nonchalant about this purchase I didn't take notice of the announcement of the winning ticket over the show's PA at the time and only knew when I got an e-mail to tell me the good news.This book has been an invaluable aid since.

One of if not the best technical record I've ever read of any line - and definitely the best on the L&B.

Andrew

I've not actually seen this book, but the thought of it is nearly enough to turn my back on the WHR and convert to become an L&B modeller... It's the carriages I really like - loads of different types within a small fleet, but all with a distinctive family feel... Must get down to the real thing next ear...

Andrew.

It took me 49 years from 1963 to 2012 to survey the buildings, bridges, viaducts, signals, carriages, Van 23, 4W Van body, turntable (then at New Romney), maps, locomotive headlamps, makers plates etc. I am glad I made the effort because inevitably some of them have now gone or been altered. Pilton Yard sheds, surveyed in 1987, burnt down and the remains cleared in 1992, and Gould's house and associated buildings (the latter built at the L & B Company's expense to replace those removed to let the railway through) were demolished in 1971, and the main road rushes through where they were at the end of the High St. And not surprisingly several of the nine carriage sections (or carriages) having been out in all weathers since 1935, were destroyed. Barnstaple Town Station has the platform enclosed in glass. I could never have envisaged when I started 57 years ago the growth in interest in the L & B and making models of it. The discovery of a tranche of original L & B and SR drawings was icing on the cake.

Hello Michael,

The number of people who are grateful to you for sticking with this huge project, and being so thorough in the task, must be beyond count. I'd certainly no idea you had been researching the line for so long. As you say, so much has been swept away, especially at the Barnstaple Town end. There can be few people now with first hand recollections of even the remains of the line. By pure chance my serious interest in railways began when I was invited into Barnstaple Town box as a very small child in the mid 1960's whilst on holiday in Devon. Little did I know then that I was standing where the L&B Tablet machine used to sit! I do vaguely remember an empty platform face on the road side but knew nothing of the line then.

We did have a brief email exchange a few years ago about L&B permanent way. I'm still studying photos and making notes. If I ever produce anything worthwhile I'll be pleased to share it with you, although I doubt it will reveal anything you haven't already identified for yourself.

Thanks for drawing all your hard work and detailed knowledge together in such a fantastic book.

Best regards,

Andrew

My uncle, who was employed by the L & B at Pilton, would have certainly approved of this book. We still treasure the items of his that he left to us.

Dick

Sounds like another book for my birthday wish list

Rik