Description

G A Richardson was brought up a few miles from Shillingstone station on the S&D and took over 500 photographs of the Somerset & Dorset line from 1956 into the early ’60s. Shot mainly on medium format film, his images were always perfectly exposed and provide a high resolution record of this iconic cross-country line.

In time, he got to know many of the staff who worked on the line – including the well-known duo of Donald Beale and Peter Smith – and was often able to have a footplate ride.

A selection of Tony’s S&D images were showcased in a book published by Bradford Barton in 1975 and his photos have regularly appeared in the news-stand railway journals. However, there hasn’t been a further dedicated book of his S&D photos until now – and this is the first time the images have appeared in a large format.

We were delighted to receive the late photographer’s railway negatives by donation from his wife in December 2022. All 520 S&D negatives have been scanned and 110 of the photos appear in this new book, published by the Trust. Just five of the photos appeared in the 1975 book so this is, on the whole, a new selection.

The book presents a wide range of images but one chapter focuses specifically on the work of No. 44102. Highlights include spectacular images of S&D services in the snow and night-time flash photos taken at Shillingstone which are exceptional for the late 1950s.

There is also a section featuring the people who worked the S&D. This includes not only Donald and Peter, but also many other staff members.

Forewords are provided by Lynda Richardson and Peter Smith.

Chapters:

1 Stopping passenger services
2 Through passenger services
3 Double-headed passenger services
4 Single 9Fs at work
5 The S&D at night
6 Rail Tours
7 Goods services
8 44102 on the goods
9 The people

The book is in A4 Landscape format, hardback, with 112 pages. ISBN 978-1-7395088-3-8. Printed and bound in the UK.

Click on the cover image for a higher res. version.

– Sent by Royal Mail Tracked 48.

– This book is sent separately to other goods in a 25cm-wide mailer which will fit through most modern letterboxes.

– To help in the case that you are purchasing as a Christmas present, the postage label does not show the name of the Trust.

– Don’t do online purchases? We can take cheque orders – please enquire via info (at) sdrt.org.