LBSC" His Life and Locomotives (live steam design & construction)

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For LARGER SIZE, For LARGER SIZE, For LARGER SIZE, For LARGER SIZE, For LARGER SIZE, For LARGER SIZE, Hardcover: 108 pages. Publisher: CROESOR JUNCTION PRESS, 1982 - 1st edition ISBN: 0860931803 Condition: Very Good - Dustjacket: Light wear at edges. - Book: Binding tight, pages bright, no rips/tears/soiling. Light foxing on title page. In the days when Britain was second only to the U.S.A. asthe world’s major builder of steam locomotives, theirdesigners and makers belonged to the exclusive and learnedbut now defunct body called the Institution of LocomotiveEngineers. One might wonder who amongst the augustnames that formed the membership was responsible for thelargest number of designs, as well as the largest number oflocomotives built to them. The answer was not aChurchward, a Gresley or a Stanier, but a man calledLawrence, a humbly born ex-locomotive fireman who didit all from a small back room in to successive small sub-urban houses in South London.The fact that all his locomotives were small, being built torun on gauges of 5in. and under, as well as being intendedfor use as instruments of pleasure rather than commerce, isnow almost beside the point, at a time when almost allsteam locomotives in Britain and the U.S.A. of whateversize, also exist solely for enjoyment. That he did publish noless than 112 designs over a period of 44 years is perhapsless remarkable than the fact that his enchanting and crystalclear style of writing inspired and enabled so many thou-sands of first-tirners to build real locomotives that theycould drive themselves; in this way he founded a world-wide movement which in this his centenary year, continuesto grow from strength to strength. One specialist firmalone, needs 30,000 copies of its catalogue each time.This is an account of his remarkable life from the day,about 20 years before the end of the Old Queen’s reign,when his birth was registered in the name of LillianLawrence, to his death 84 years later, only a month afterthe last of over 3000 of his famous locomotive buildingarticles had been published. In the intervals of writing hefound time to make 55 small steam locomotives himself.Although he sometimes laid about him when he had hispen in his hand, once one digs deeper into his personal lifeit becomes clear that his brilliance was combined with avery charming, kind and generous nature. Those who knewhim well had a faithful and generous friend.As a result of what he did for us 16 hours a day and 6days a week over so many years, as well as the great LiveSteam Movement which he founded, no one could deny theworld is greatly the richer.ContentsChapter I .................. THE BOY FROM A POOR HOME .................. 2-Chapter II ......................... RAILWAYMAN ......................... 6Chapterlll ............... ENGINEERING AND OTHER WORK ................ 8Chapter IV ................... BATTLE OF THE BOILERS ................... I3Chapter V .................... SHOPS, SHED AND ROAD .................... I 7Chapter VI ..................... A VISIT TO AMERICA ....... I .............. 28Chapter VII ............. INSPECTOR METICULOUS AND FRIENDS ............. 32Chapter VIII ............ THE POLAR ROUTE AND OTHER LINES ............. 47Chapter IX .................... WARTIME AND AFTER ..................... 59Chapter X .......... THE LAST DECADE OF THE LIVE STEAM NOTES .......... 78Chapter XI ...................... DECLINING YEARS ...................... 90Chapter XII ........................ A SUMMING UP ........................ 98Appendix ................. Alphabetical List of Locomotives .................. 103 Condition VG+ SEE eBay's My ABOUT ME for description terms. Image Reproduction Information Scanned image colors, contrasts and size are ... read more

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