The ABC of Great Western Locomotives : Ian Allan : Staines, Middlesex : First edition : August 1943
Early examples of the famous and popular Ian Allan "ABC" series these for the locomotives of the Great Western Railway. Ian Allan was employed by the Southern Railway and with some 'official' backing (and some opposition!) he compiled and personally published the first ABC, for the Southern, in 1942.
His second publication was that for the Great Western Railway, seen here in a plain cover, and that is dated August 1943. The foreword notes that due to wartime shortages of staff regretably the publication has not been checked officially by the GWR but Allan was keen to issue it and the matching volumes for the LMSR and LNER he had in preparation. Later editions began to have covers with scraperboard/Windsor Board illustrations - latterly many were by artist A. N. Wolstenholme but these ealry examples appear uncredited.
It is slightly remarkable that these were issued in wartime conditions what with paper and printing ink shortages and, in the early years, some official concern I suspect about the publication of even basic information regarding such a vital part of the war effort. Ian Allan went on to great success in post-war years tapping into a readership of younger people as well as of older 'train spotters' for whom such railway and transport activities were highly popular pastimes.
The ABC of Great Western Locomotives : Ian Allan : Staines, Middlesex : First edition : August 1943
Early examples of the famous and popular Ian Allan "ABC" series these for the locomotives of the Great Western Railway. Ian Allan was employed by the Southern Railway and with some 'official' backing (and some opposition!) he compiled and personally published the first ABC, for the Southern, in 1942.
His second publication was that for the Great Western Railway, seen here in a plain cover, and that is dated August 1943. The foreword notes that due to wartime shortages of staff regretably the publication has not been checked officially by the GWR but Allan was keen to issue it and the matching volumes for the LMSR and LNER he had in preparation. Later editions began to have covers with scraperboard/Windsor Board illustrations - latterly many were by artist A. N. Wolstenholme but these ealry examples appear uncredited.
It is slightly remarkable that these were issued in wartime conditions what with paper and printing ink shortages and, in the early years, some official concern I suspect about the publication of even basic information regarding such a vital part of the war effort. Ian Allan went on to great success in post-war years tapping into a readership of younger people as well as of older 'train spotters' for whom such railway and transport activities were highly popular pastimes.