Two new books (?) on Irish Heritage Railways

Judgement Day

Now I know that the Print on Demand book sector is a scammers paradise but the latest two offerings are really taking the piss.

Heritage Railways of Northern Ireland



26 (!) pages for £11.45 plus p+p - no author given.

and this
Heritage Railways in the Republic of Ireland - running to an incredible 38 pages and cost a staggering £12.06 plus p+p!

Not even a cover picture available and needless to say no author given - just send your money.

gobnaitolunacy

I take it they're not JD publications?

Isn't the 'list' of NI preserved railways on the front cover anyway? IMHO info on any preserved lines anywhere can be got by consulting the Gods of Google rather than buying a book.

Judgement Day

They certainly aren't JD publications! I was checking out the publishers and it sounds like the 'books' are just whatever they could lift off wikipedia - the mind boggles.

I wonder how many languages they are in, that would beef them up a bit? Shades of this rubbish...



produced by the Iarnrod Eireann Heritage Office - which was in English, French and German and described by those that know as the worst book ever produced on Irish railways! Even worse than Fergus Mulligan's "150 Years of Irish Railways".

http://industrialheritageireland.info/WordPress/?page_id=3651

Sligo Quay

Judgement Day wrote: »

They certainly aren't JD publications! I was checking out the publishers and it sounds like the 'books' are just whatever they could lift off wikipedia - the mind boggles.

I wonder how many languages they are in, that would beef them up a bit? Shades of this rubbish...



produced by the Iarnrod Eireann Heritage Office - which was in English, French and German and described by those that know as the worst book ever produced on Irish railways! Even worse than Fergus Mulligan's "150 Years of Irish Railways".

http://industrialheritageireland.info/WordPress/?page_id=3651[/QUOTE]
I received a copy of that book for nothing a few weeks ago and gave it away for nothing, all nonsense, very rare to get a good book on Irish Railways.

gobnaitolunacy

Sligo Quay wrote: »

Judgement Day wrote: »

the worst book ever produced on Irish railways! Even worse than Fergus Mulligan's "150 Years of Irish Railways".
[/QUOTE]

I'll have to disagree with your there, the two worst books I ever clapped eyes on...

an abomination about the Railways of Kerry, the pics appeared to be photocopied into it.

a 2012 booklet to commemorate the Lombardstown accident, riddled with technical errors. Def. not worth €10 price tag.

Sligo Quay

As Iv said good books are rare and you really have to see before you buy, best book Iv bought in a long time here in this thread http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056769485 and the ironic thing about it is I think the authors are British, isn't it ironic, not even the sight of an heritage officer:eek: it takes outsiders to do a good job looking in.

flyingsnail

Maybe we need a thread listing the books that are actually worth having.

gobnaitolunacy

flyingsnail wrote: »

Maybe we need a thread listing the books that are actually worth having.

+1

A lot of generic histories of the railways of ireland (as a whole) of varying quality have been written. The oft quoted standard work has been HC Casserly's 'Outline of Irish Railway History' but that's been out of print with donkey's years.

Judgement Day

I like HC Casserley's "Outline of Irish Railway History" and the individual company history series published by David & Charles in the mid-1970's takes some beating. Perhaps a separate thread would be good.

Noel Dempseys Den

I have the Midland Publications version of Ernie Shepherds' Dublin and South Eastern Railway and Midland Great Western Railway of Ireland. Also recommended is Michael Corcoran's Through Streets Broad and Narrow on the Dublin Trams and Edward Paterson's history of the Great Northern Railway.

Still would love a copy of the David and Charles edition though, it was the first Irish railway book I read as a teenager through Dolphin's Barn public library. Clifton Flewitt's IRRS bookstall is long overdue a visit..always thought Kevin Murray's GS&WR history a bit skimpy though.

Losty Dublin

Noel Dempseys Den wrote: »

I have the Midland Publications version of Ernie Shepherds' Dublin and South Eastern Railway and Midland Great Western Railway of Ireland. Also recommended is Michael Corcoran's Through Streets Broad and Narrow on the Dublin Trams and Edward Paterson's history of the Great Northern Railway.

Still would love a copy of the David and Charles edition though, it was the first Irish railway book I read as a teenager through Dolphin's Barn public library. Clifton Flewitt's IRRS bookstall is long overdue a visit..always thought Kevin Murray's GS&WR history a bit skimpy though.

There will be books aplenty at the MRSI model show in St Paul's school on the bank holiday weekend. Clifton is usually there and is good for the rare stuff while Des McGlynn is your only many for the latest releases.

gobnaitolunacy

Noel Dempseys Den wrote: »

..always thought Kevin Murray's GS&WR history a bit skimpy though.

Yes, thought it was very condensed and squished into quite a small book for the size and longevity of the GS&W. Surprised that D&C didn't do a history on it, perhaps the Murray book was already out at the time and might have to run into more than one volume for a proper treatment?

Oakwood Press did a few books on smaller Irish lines, the ones on the Muskerry and Passage lines are good and to the point, the W&L one was ok. The Schull & Skibb one looked well but I'm holding out for a cheap one(!)

The Irish Railways in Colour ones were great esp. for any modellers who weren't knocking around at that time.