Ian Allan book counter

A mouth-watering selection of Ian Allan transport titles at their book counter, apparently at the Meccano showrooms in London, somewhere that I hadn't heard of before. The date of this magazine insert would appear to be around 1962, when the company were probably the most well known transport book publisher in the UK, thanks in no small part to their 'ABC' series of pocket books used by spotters from the 1940s onwards. Looking at this selection, I realise that I have a number of them, although not always in the best condition! There are many well-used copies around, that is, with copious underlings, that unmarked editions can fetch a pretty penny in eBay these days.

On the reverse of the sheet is an order form for the purchase of postcards, mainly from the Locomotive Publishing Company (LPC) series. Ian Allan took over this collection, introduced in 1899, in 1956, subsequently passing to the National Railway Museum in 1992.

Although still a transport book publisher, their catalogue is much reduced and their large stable of magazines have now been sold off.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ian_Allan_Publishing
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Locomotive_Publishing_Company

Funny Game, Cricket

A little light reading, as the rain continues to fall at Edgbaston...................

RH&DR Guide

A splendid little guide to the equally splendid little Romney, Hythe & Dymchurch Railway, a favourite line of 'Dunstabelle' and I. This was published by Ian Allan in 1947, the scraperboard cover illustration being, I suspect, by A N Wolstenholme, whose work graced other Ian Allan titles of the period. I bought it in a secondhand bookshop in Bath about ten years ago for just 70p, a bargain even then!

Railway Ribaldry

It seems amazing that such an august a company as the Great Western Railway would give Heath Robinson a free hand to devote an entire book to poke gentle fun at the early days of their empire. But this they did, on the occasion of the railway's centenary in 1935, the result being Railway Ribaldry. All aspects of railway construction and operations were covered, all drawn in meticulous detail and with the author's renowned imagination and humour. There are page after page of contraptions, most of which look as though they could actually work. Original copies must be very collectable, mine being a reprint published by Ian Allan in 1970 (for 17/6). I believe that it has been reprinted several times since; if you see a copy, buy it!

Brian Walker

A book that has been sitting on my bookshelf for many years is a 1968 copy of How To Be a Motorist and Stay Happy' by George Haines. It is a very funny look at the trials and tribulations of car-ownership and how to survive it. Although I have never actually been a driver (I've driven a steam locomotive further than I have a car - never let your dad try to teach you!), the subjects covered seem quite familiar, such as learners, the Sunday driver and even down to avoiding authority and road rage, everything I suppose, except speed cameras. (I do recall reading of an early motorist, caught speeding by two constables using a stop-watch, however).

It was the illustrations accompanying the text that have always attracted me, the artist being Brian Walker, who, according to the notes on the dust-jacket, was better known for his 'decorative atmospheric drawing' and can play the tuba. A Google search reveals that he later drew for DC Thomson comics,  and later for IPC in Whizzer & Chips. His drawings seem to capture the period well. Enjoy.