Search results for ""Author Allen Jackson""

This informative book provides a step-by-step account of the construction, from scratch, of a model railway called Dovedale. The model is operated like a real modern railway and was built entirely by the author within a strict low budget, using, wherever possible, recycled materials. Moreover, Dovedale is based on a specific prototype that exists in Buxton in Derbyshire, where freight trains run into an interchange siding, the locomotive runs round the train and then departs to a different destination. Some model railways are operated somewhat chaotically and are characterized by frequent derailments and locomotives that stop arbitrarily. If you wish to move away from this kind of layout and construct a model railway that operates realistically and reflects more closely the way that railways actually work in the second decade of the 21st century, then this is the book for you. Whilst constantly emphasizing realistic operation, the book covers layout planning and construction, controllers, point motors, power supply, cables and connectors, ways of operating traffic flows, signalling, track droppers, control panels and wiring, control and interlocking, lighting, sequence and block bells, the use of closed circuit television, and much more.

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This book is about one ordinary person’s efforts, largely carried out single-handedly and with limited funds, to build a model railway layout in his garden that runs just like the real thing. It is based on Brymbo in North Wales, where the GWR and LNER were joined by the LMS in the search for mineral wealth. Allen Jackson’s recreation runs between three sheds and features empty and loaded coal trains travelling from colliery to steelworks; pickup goods; branch passenger and excursion traffic; and even its very own CCTV and system to aid signalling. Packed with wonderful illustrations including photographs and layout diagrams, this book is a wonderful tribute to a lifetime’s hobby and will delight railway modellers both young and old.

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For over 150 years Britain's railways have relied on a system of semaphore signalling, but by 2020, all semaphore signals and lineside signal boxes will be gone. A Contemporary Perspective on GWR Signalling provides a unique record of the last operational mechanical signalling and infrastructure on Britain's railway network, as it applied to the former Great Western Railway (and lines owned jointly with other companies). It also includes a comprehensive explanation of what mechanical signalling is and how it works. There is detailed coverage of the signal boxes and infrastructure on Network Rail, including routes through Shrewsbury, Hereford, Worcester, Cornwall, Chester and North Warwickshire. Beautifully illustrated with over 400 contemporary images and with detailed information from a 2003-2014 survey, this is an essential resource for anyone with an interest in the traditional signalling systems of railways in Britain.

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Great Western Railway Stars, Castles and Kings examines the history and workings of these legendary classes of passenger steam locomotives, the first of which, the North Star, was built in 1906. Richly illustrated with over 200 photographs, the book includes illustrated explanations of how Great Western Railway steam engines work; details of the engines' work on named expresses and in ordinary service; overview of the survivors, heritage organizations and their futures; technical specifications and timelines of each class and finally, GWR and British Rail Motive Power Depot codes and train head codes.

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Known as the Prairies, these tank engines of the 2-6-2T variety were some of Churchward’s earliest designs and were the precursor for successful variations of one of the classes – numbered 51XX until 1949. There were two basic types, the smaller type for branch lines and the larger type mostly for outer suburban work in London and Birmingham, but also used as banking engines at Sapperton, Rattery, Hemerdon and Dainton inclines. The smaller 45XX class started off as a class of seventy-five engines, but were eventually developed by Collett into a class more than double the size. They saw service on the St Ives portion of the Cornish Riviera Express and the Pwllheli portion of the Cambrian Coast Express. Profusely illustrated throughout and packed with technical detail, Allen Jackson tells the story of the Great Western Railway’s Prairie class locomotives.

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