 Born from a passion for Lancashire's proud affinity with steam, as a child growing up in the fifties and sixties, Bob Gregson was one of a band of youngsters who spent much of their spare time in and around the atmospheric confines of smoky engine sheds and during a period that was sadly also to see the end of most of Lancashire’s mill production, much of its Industrial Revolution heritage and closely followed by the end of the steam locomotive itself. The fascination for Bob, therefore, was clearly born of a culmination of many things, but none more so than the fact that, despite the radical - and not always positive - changes occurring, so very much of the 19th century infrastructure still seemed to survive intact (such gas lighting - and even oil lamps illuminating some station platforms, along with cast-iron signs everywhere, warning of a 'forty shilling fine' for stepping onto the tracks) and all of which bore testament to this.
Given the size of the place and its extreme importance even today in the UK railway network, in the opinion of this reviewer (who was formerly a native of the town), other than inessentially pictorial publications, the railways of Preston, nevertheless, have previously received scant attention over the years. Specifically as far as the Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway’s own not inconsiderable involvement in the scheme of things is concerned, with the appearance of Bob’s new book, that has now all changed. This has transpired to be a thorough and superbly detailed piece of research, covering the whole story of the history, development and decline of the L&Y system in and around the former town and, now, city.
The work begins with an account of the early railways that preceded the L&YR, before then focusing upon visits to a whole series of specific locations, the majority of which have either long since disappeared or have been whittled down to beyond recognition. Nostalgic reflections abound upon such places as the once thriving Butler Street station and goods yard complex that served the East Lancs Railway exit to the town; the L&Y horse stables at East Cliff; the L&Y/LNWR jointly-owned Park Hotel; the triangles of junctions at Whitehouse and Todd Lane leading to the confusing network of routes around Lostock Hall. Certainly the most informative work of its kind to specifically address the former East and West Lancashire Railway sections in the Preston area, there is even a fascinating insight into the development of the huge rail-served gas works at Lostock Hall.
A large section is also given over to the men and machines of the famous motive power depot once situated at Lostock Hall and the atmosphere in and around which provided the author with so many stories from the unforgettable days of steam, all painstakingly recorded and compiled over a period of 15 years and which remain fresh in the minds of many former loco-men, even today.
The text is well illustrated with numerous remarkably evocative photographs and ephemera, the majority of which have never been published previously and, with contributions being provided by so many people who actually lived and breathed the railway thereabouts, there is something here for everyone and all of which goes to make the book a captivating personal and sometimes humorous, but very readable, essay in social history.
Well-supported by numerous maps, the author has also produced layout drawings of his own - in remarkably fine detail - of many of the railway installations discussed and these alone will prove invaluable to the serious modeller. Some of the picture quality, particularly in older photographs might have been improved by the publisher, but, given the very reasonable cost of the production, generally should not be a major concern to anyone. That minor foible aside, given that so much intense and meticulous research has gone into its creation, “The Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway around Preston” is surely destined to rapidly become a valuable standard work of reference in its field. A book that one can repeatedly dip into and to always discover something new of interest.
FOOTNOTE: It is understood (in late December 2011) that, the initial print run having completely sold-out, even in advance of any reviews in the railway media, a re-print has been arranged with the publishers and, during the course of which, it is hoped that the issues raised in respect of print quality will have been addressed.
Publisher: Atkinson Publications, 18 Highgate, Goosnargh, Preston PR3 2BX
£18.95. Softback, A4, 180 pages with 254 images, printed monochrome throughout.
ISBN 978-0-9565184-5-3 |
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