Narrow Gauge Worldwide

John Organ    [Publisher:  Mainline & Maritime  2017]    Softback    64 pages

A nicely produced photographic album depicting the locomotives produced by Linz in Austria, operating on lines across Europe. Photographs are predominantly historic but a include a number of very nice more recent colour images. Printed on quality art paper and with good repro work throughout, the book's format being "small landscape" with a square spine.

John Organ    [Publisher:  Middleton Press  2013]    Hardback    96 pages

A pleasing and well produced pictorial account of the narrow gauge systems on two Mediterranean islands, both of which are enjoying something of a rennaissance after periods of decline and yet retain much character and charm.

B.L. Rigby    [Publisher:  Oakwood  2004]    Softback    120 pages

An attractively produced and well illustrated book describing a British equipped 2 foot gauge line on Malta. Given that the whole thing closed in 1931 the photographic coverage is impressive and there is also quite a lot of the line left to see today, all described and illustrated in this charming book.

Keith Taylorson    [Publisher:  Plateway Press  1999]    Softback    64 pages

In this attractive volume the author successfully brings together a diverse collection of images from around the world. The interpretation of the subject is pretty liberal, and I was pleased to see two images of the wonderful metre gauge in East Africa included.

Henry Gunston    [Publisher:  Plateway Press  2001]    Softback    70 pages

Starting with an 18" fragment of the "Suakin and Berber Railway", an abortive and expensive scheme by the War Office to break the Mahdi's hold on North Sudan, this book recounts the later history of a commercial 60cm gauge line on the same route. Built in 1921 to transport cotton but also fulfilling many other roles, the line was a commercial undertaking utilising military equipment of both German and English descent, finally closing in 1952. This well produced book tells a fascinating story and benefits greatly from the Ellis family's records and wonderful photographs, Arther Ellis being one of the line's builders.

Gordon Shepherd    [Publisher:  Stenlake Publishing  2018]    Softback    48 pages

A standard Stenlake, full of interest although with less pure railway content than the accompanying volume on Old Zimbabwe, many images depicting the wider environment, wildlife and indigenous population. The railway itself was built by the ubiquitous Pauling and formed part of the famous "Cape to Cairo" route.

Richard L. Hills    [Publisher:  Plateway Press  2000]    Softback    80 pages

Nothing to do with Billy the Kid, but a rather lovely reprint of a 1911 booklet by Beyer Peacock together with extended introductory notes and photographs on the subject by an acknowledged expert on the subject. All produced to Plateway's exacting standards, the proceeds from sales are going to finance the restoration of the very first Beyer Garratt locomotive.

Giles Barnabe    [Publisher:  Plateway Press  2003]    Hardback    248 pages

A magnificent re-working of an earlier book, comprising the full details of all the railways operated on the island of Majorca. Well printed on to art paper, the book is complete with photographs and scale drawings of the stock used together with track plans and details of all station locations. The story is made all the more fascinating as the government owned railways are currently being rebuilt and extended to new and lost destinations as part of an Island wide transport scheme. In the meantime the Soller line continues in private ownership in a largely unchanged state, providing a contrast to the by now metre gauge and ultra modern main line. Other lines and the Palma tramway system are also covered, including lost salt lines on Ibiza and Formentera. Aside from full details of all stock and timetables, an appendix contains several highly readable first hand accounts of the system at different dates - a superb book in every respect.

Brian Fawcett    [Publisher:  Plateway Press  1997]    Hardback    224 pages

A re-publishing of a 1963 book, a history and description of railways in and around the Andes, written by an engineer who was intimately involved with the running and engineering of the Central Railway of Peru. There is an introduction by D. Trevor Rowe which brings the story up to date, and the whole is well illustrated with relevant photographs.

James Waite    [Publisher:  Pen and Sword  2019]    Hardback    288 pages

A beautiful collection of stunning all colour photographs of steam narrow gauge railways around the world as operating today. Amazing variety, really well photographed and produced and with extended and informative captions.