Warwickshire Railways: Book Review

DJ Norton's pictorial survey of Railways in the West Midlands Part One

The first volume in a three part series featuring the LMS Western Division Lines and later lines connecting to it including:

• Birmingham New Street Station
• Coventry to Stechford
• Stechford to Wolverhampton via New Street and Dudley Port
• Stechford to Bushbury via Aston and Bescot
• Perry Barr to Soho Junctions
• Grand Junction to Aston
• Wichnor Junction to Dudley
• Aston to Lichfield City

Dennis John Norton was born in Birmingham in March 1930. He developed an interest in railways early in his life and started photographing locos, stations and lines at the age of 17, just as British Railways were taking over from the Big Four. His interest continued right up to his premature death as the result of an asthma attack in August 1965. Throughout his time, his camera was primarily pointed at subject related to the LMS Company. Hel held a lineside pass but his concept of Lineside seems at odds with what authorities intended. Standing in the middle of the main lines, walking through tunnels and even climbing signal posts were frequent activities. The result of all this disobedience is a collection of photographs containing many unique and unusual views.

Laminated Card Cover, 11" x 8¾", 143 pages, 21 maps and track plans plus 200+ Black and White Photographs

Wild Swan Publishing - ISBN 9781905184507 - RRP £19.95

This book, together with the other two in the series, are core to Warwickshire Railways' ability to portray the unusual and the infrasture of the LMS in the West Midlands. I therefore have no hesitation in recommending the booking.

Mike Musson

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