BOOK REVIEWS

RMT helpline 0800 376 3706 :: may bulletin 2 2020 :: RMTnews 12 T his pictorial history is a very timely book as The Cambrian Heritage Railway is currently extending and repairing track northwards from Llynclys South towards the historic border town of Oswestry, to enable trains to run back into the former Cambrian Railway headquarters. It begins with a brief history of the Cambrian Railways’ early years, followed by a comprehensive set of early photographs of Cambrian engines and Oswestry Works made available by the former Chairman of the Manchester Locomotive Society and the National Library of Wales. A tour of the scenery of mid Wales follows taken from Andrew Dyke’s collection and some photos are so expertly ‘colourised’ that most find it difficult to distinguish these from the many genuine colour photographs. The book holds other treasures including stories from a number of former railwaymen who worked on the Cambrian system. The book finishes with a description of the progress towards restoring part of the closed section of the line closed by Beeching in the 1960s. The Cambrian Railways Museum already exists in Oswestry and this book can only ignite renewed interest and support for bringing back steam to Cambria. T his book is a pictorial celebration of mechanical signalling which still exists despite the introduction of colour signalling around one hundred years ago. Colour signalling was originally intended to replace all mechanical signalling by the millennium. However, numerous outposts remain on the national network where semaphore still reigns supreme. Network Rail aimed to eliminate the last of its mechanical signaling and move control to a dozen railway operating centers, but its pace has been severely limited by the cost. This quirky but lovable book details the last mechanical signalling on the British railway network which may well be with us some time yet. A visual feast that will be enjoyed by train crew and signallers alike. BRITAIN’S LAST MECHANICAL SIGNALING Gareth David Pen & Sword Books Salute to the semaphore CAMBRIAN RAILWAYS GALLERY A pictorial history through time David Maidment & Paul Carpenter Pen & Sword Books