Country Railway Routes Hull to Scarborough Including the Filey Holiday Camp Branch

I’ve said this before, I’m sure, but I find it increasingly hard to find something new to comment on with regard to the books in this series which claims to be ‘Evolving the Vic Mitchell and Keith Smith Ultimate Rail Encyclopedia International’ (the claim keeps changing). Presumably, with Vic Mitchell’s death, Keith Smith is writing more. My struggling to find something new to say isn’t an implied criticism of this mammoth series. Indeed, it’s quite the contrary; it follows the usual excellent format of well-reproduced photos/maps/charts/diagrams/timetables/tickets, etc, describing the routes involved from past times to near the current day.  Everything is presented on good-quality stock with clear and informative captions to complement the photographs. As usual, it’s yet a journey along the lines (please excuse the pun) of what’s really been lost – in the case of some of the connecting routes, completely. Having first ‘spotted at Hull Paragon over 60 years ago, and not really having been back since, though the main station is now quite clean, it would hold absolutely no interest for me today. For modellers especially, this work will be of great use, whatever their chosen period, be it NER, LNER, BR or later days. Having said that the captions are good, surely a mention might have been made about the first carriage behind the B1s tender at Seamer Junction? It’s an ex-GC ‘Barnum’ brake! Recommended.

Review: Tony Wright.

More information: www.middletonpress.co.uk