Spotting this book on a second-hand stall, where you could just drop of dontation in the box, I was the only person to pick it up. Odd really, as most of the rest of the books were those generic titles that appear in every charity shop and under the tree from well meaning relatives keen to buy the enthusiast something.
It is a list, from 1939, or every town and village in Great Western Railway territory. Alongside, it tells the clerk which station goods should be sent to, and how they should be conveyed to their final destination.
Click on the image to enlarge.
Possibly the most useful information in here is the distance for each town from the station. Some of the methods of conveyance are fun too. When sending goods to Overton, they should go to Marlborough station, and then finish their journey via the Birstol Tramways & Carriage Co. Ltd.
I'm not sure what possible use this information can be to me as a modeller, but I feared this book would end up in the bin if no-one else wanted it, and for something that has survived 83 years, that would be a great shame.
For the moment, it can sit on the shelf. Unless a reader can think of a good reason they should own it. Postage wouldn't be cheap, it's a heafty tomb, but I'd be happy to find it a better home.
3 comments:
About the only useful thing I can think of would be anyone writing a novel set in 1939 so they could get the details of deliveries correct. To be fair it's the kind of book I'd buy as well just because.
I would like it to know exactly what was GWR territory. As an American, I am occasionally stereotypically confused by my own country's geography.
Such a book could also lead to some interesting layout ideas. Such as a layout "Marlborough for Overton," showing interchange of GWR and tramway.
The exchange is more likely to be handing the parcel to the local bus company, in this case Bristol. Overton parish being a few miles east of Marlborough on the A4.
Even as late as 1960's, I can remember in a Northamptonshire village, a sign on one of the village shops stating it was a "United Counties" Parcel Agent, UC being the local bus company.
Might be worth seeing if the Swindon GWR Museum has a copy or would like to add it to their collection.
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