Dean Oliver Illus (1 results)

First edition: quarto; hardcover; 164pp., with maps and many monochrome and colour illustrations, one folding. Minor wear only. Near fine in like dustwrapper now covered in superior non-adhesive polypropylene film. Postage quoted is for a standard format octavo book. Final charges may vary depending on size and weight. The story of Newnes and the Wolgan Valley railway began in 1905 when a London based company initiated ambitious plans to exploit the oil shale reserves in the Blue Mountains. The massive monetary investment in the project by English capitalists was a reflection of the global, economic and political climate of the time. The scheme envisaged for Newnes was probably the largest and most ambitious in Australia until that date. Those behind the project were people of high academic, financial and social position and it appears that even though their judgement was, in hindsight, to prove wrong, their initial proposals had solid foundations and justifications.…