Freight Train Operation for the Railway Modeller

There is one truism in railway modelling that applies almost universally irrespective of the scale modelled, period replicated or area reproduced and that is, ultimately, the modeller is endeavouring to recreate some aspect of railway operation as accurately as possible. And yet, despite this, the operation of railways both prototype and model, in the steam era, is perhaps the least understood aspect of the hobby. There are countless books devoted to locomotive development, for example, but books dealing with the actual operation of railways, the real raison d'Etre of the industry, is much more restricted. In Railway Operation for the Modeller (ISBN: 1 85780 168 7), noted railway historian and modeller Bob Essery sought to take the mystery out of the subject in its broadest terms. Examining themes such as signalling, he provided the modeller with a basic grounding in the theory and practice of railway operation and how it could be replicated on layouts. The success of this book has demonstrated that there is considerable interest amongst both railway historians and modellers to improve their knowledge of this complex subject. It was always the intention that, following on from that first volume, individual aspects of railway operation would be discussed in more detail. The first of these follow-ups, Passenger Train Operation For The Railway Modeller (ISBN: 1 85780 220 9), was published in the Autumn of 2005. This is the next volume in the series and here Bob Essery describes in depth the nature of freight operation in the steam era. It is often forgotten, particularly in the 21st century when railways are increasingly perceived as primarily a means by which vast numbers of passengers can be transported, that the origins of the railway industry lay in the need to carry the products of Britain's industries from source to market. Freight was the bedrock of the railways' prosperity; if passengers were to be carried, they could only be accommodated when their movement would not conflict with the vastly more profitable freight traffic. How times change! In this new examination of the subject, individual chapters examine the development of freight trains, train formations and working practices, locomotive types developed specifically for freight services and goods yard design. The author's erudite text, based around his own detailed knowledge of the industry and of years of railway modelling experience, is supplemented by a superb selection of photographs and line drawings. Comprehensive in its coverage, Freight Train Operation for the Railway Modeller will become the standard work of reference on the subject for railway historians and modellers alike.