|
| |
RailroadTreasures offers the following item:
|
|
Steam Between Swindon and the Severn by Mike Arlett & David Lockett
Steam Between Swindon and the Severn by Mike Arlett & David Lockett
Hard cover
Copyright Mike Arlett & David Lockett 2000
79 pages
Index of Locations Illustrated
Avonmouth Docks 46, 47
Bath (including Twerton) Front cover, 26, 27, 2E
Bathampton 24, 25
Berkeley Road 56
Box Tunnel 22
Box, Middle Hill Tunnel 23
Brimscombe Back cover, 65, 66, 67
Bristol, Barrow Road Shed 52
Bristol, Bath Road Shed 34, 35
Bristol, Stapleton Road 45
Bristol, Temple Meads 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 36, 44, 51
Cardiff 50
Chalford 69, 70, 71, 72, 73
Chelwood 39
Clutton 38
Cricklade (near) 79
Frampton Mansell 74
Gloucester 61, 62, 63
Hallatrow 37
Haresfield 64
Kemble 75, 76, 78
Nailsworth 58, 59
Newport 48, 49, 50
Sharpness 57
St Mary's Crossing68
Standish Junction 1, 60
Stonehouse 58
Swindon, Rodbourne Lane 16
Swindon Junction 4, 5, 6
Swindon Town 79
Swindon mpd 18, 19, 20
Swindon Works 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 17, 21
Tetbury 77
Weston-super-Mare42, 43
Wickwar Tunnel 54, 55
Yate 53
Yatton (& Clevedon Branch 40, 41
Introduction
A quick glance at the railway map of the late 1950s and early 1960s (the period represented by Norman Lockett's photographs in the following pages of this book) serves as a reminder of the number of routes once crossing the part of the country which lies between Swindon and the River Severn.
As a native of Wiltshire, Swindon (in the north of that county) is to me a very natural starting point for this book. With regard to the Severn, David Lockett and I need to plead a somewhat liberal interpretation, in that by the time the waters of the river have washed the shores of Weston-super-Mare, Newport and Cardiff (all of which feature briefly in these pages), the Severn has widened beyond its estuary to become the Bristol Channel. But, as I am sure our publishers might agree, a book entitled Steam Between Swindon, the Severn and the Bristol Channel does not trip easily off the tongue! We have also taken the liberty of including just a few scenes from one cross-country line which some might view as involving a rather circuitous route between Swindon and the Severn! I hope we will not be accused of cheating, because, after all, it was part of the fun for the railway enthusiast sometimes to travel by the most roundabout route!
This tour of the railway routes between Swindon and the Severn involves what is, in effect, a journey which might be described as 'triangular' (plus a few diversions thrown in for good measure!). It will, of course, commence at Swindon, considered by many as the place which, for many years, represented the best of steam locomotive design and construction. From Swindon the first leg of this journey is by way of Brunel's original route to Bristol, featuring Box, Bathampton and Bath. After a brief diversion to the 'North Somerset' line, the main line is rejoined to travel only a little further westwards in order to feature Yatton and Weston-super-Mare, to which latter town Norman Lockett returned to live in 1979 until his sudden and unexpected death early in 1984.
A quick foray to the docks at Avonmouth and over (or, in railway terms, perhaps under) to the Welsh side of the Severn is followed by a more detailed look at several of the locations along the former Midland Railway (MR) route from Bristol to Gloucester, again including some of the branch lines which fed into this route. From Gloucester, former Great Western Railway (GWR) metals are regained and it's back towards Swindon, along the Golden Valley, taking in a number of locations on the line perhaps best remembered as the haunt of the 'Chalford Auto'. I make no apologies for including a good number of pictures featuring the delightful section of line between Brimscombe and Sapperton.
Finally, just one picture is included featuring a scene from the former Midland & South Western Junction Railway as a reminder of another route by which it was possible to travel from Swindon towards the Severn.
Now a little about the man whose photographs feature in this book. Trained as a pharmacist in the 1920s, Norman Lockett was registered as a chemist and druggist and early in 1933 became a member of the Pharmaceutical Society. It was about the same time that Norman started his railway photography, many of his earliest photographs featuring scenes on the GWR main line in South Devon. Later, from his home in Weston-super-Mare, Norman commuted daily to Bristol where he managed a major branch of Boots the Chemist, a company for whom he worked throughout his career.
Norman Lockett started to experiment with colour photography in 1958, shortly after his work required him to move home to Bath. It was here, on one of his visits to Bath Spa station, that he first met another well-known railway photographer, Ivo Peters. They were to become the firmest of friends and made many joint lineside excursions throughout the country. Indeed, Norman makes occasional appearances on camera on many of Ivo Peters' films. Norman's opportunities for photography were, however, constrained by his work: a five-and-a-half day schedule which resulted in his photography being restricted mainly to Wednesday afternoons (half-day closing) and Sundays. Lineside visits away from the immediate home territory could be undertaken only during annual holiday leave and on Bank Holidays. Then there was a further time constraint: the evening opening hour between 6 and 7pm, when chemists' dispensaries were opened for prescriptions and emergency medicines. The requirement for a pharmacist to be present for the dispensing of medicines and drugs meant that Norman had to be on the duty rota for this essential service whether it was in addition to the normal working day or opening specially on a Bank Holiday!
Other than when in the company of Ivo Peters, Norman had to rely on public transport to reach any lineside location not within walking distance from his home. This again restricted the locations which he was able to visit (so different from just a few years later when private car ownership became almost universal and opened up the most remote lineside locations to the railway photographer). Opportunities were also adversely affected by the limitations of the colour film available in the late 1950s. Those who are sometimes critical of some of the reproduction of colour photography from that era need to be reminded that the speed of Kodachrome Mark 1 film was 8ASA! Like many at that time, Norman also flirted briefly with the slightly faster Agfa colour film. Kodachrome 2, which became available early in 1962, provided an ASA of 25, an improvement much appreciated by the growing number of exponents of colour photography, but still in no way comparable with what was to become available later.
Norman Lockett kept no notes of his pre-1962 colour transparencies and often only the briefest details of those taken post-1962. However, in the knowledge that he sometimes accompanied Ivo Peters on visits to the lineside, I have been able to check or confirm some of the many details and dates from the photographic albums and cine film records of Ivo. My thanks for this go to Julian Peters.
All pictures are of the actual item. There may be reflection from the lights in some photos. We try to take photos of any damage. If this is a railroad item, this material is obsolete and no longer in use by the railroad. Please email with questions. Publishers of Train Shed Cyclopedias and Stephans Railroad Directories. Large inventory of railroad books and magazines. Thank you for buying from us.
Shipping charges
US Shipments: Ebay will add $1.25 each additional items, there are a few exceptions.
Ebay Global shipping charges are shown. These items are shipped to Kentucky and forwarded to you. Ebay collects the shipping and customs / import fees. Refunds may be issued if you add multiple items to your cart and pay with one payment. For direct postage rates to these countries, send me an email. Shipping varies by weight.
Payment options
Payment must be received within 7 days. Paypal is accepted.
Terms and conditions
All sales are final. Returns accepted if item is not as described. Contact us first. No warranty is stated or implied. Please e-mail us with any questions before bidding.
Thanks for looking at our items.
|
|
|
|
