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Railways: A History in Drawings

Description:

The advent of railways in Britain was a fundamental part of its economic and social revolution in the 19th century, with technical advances that were the envy of the world and chronicled from the beginning through meticulous drawings. Detailed plans were created of locomotives, carriages and wagons, as well as of stations, bridges and tunnels, to facilitate the manufacturing process and the maintenance of the rapidly expanding railway network.

Miraculously, about a million of these magnificent drawings have survived and are held in the National Railway Museum in York. Christopher Valkoinen has selected over 130 examples that tell the engineering history of great innovations and triumphs, such as the Forth Bridge, and reveal the work of famous pioneers, including Richard Trevithick, George Stephenson, and Nigel Gresley of Flying Scotsman fame. Other plans range from Queen Victoria’s royal saloon and a travelling post office to a station tea-room at York and modern experiments with a hovertrain. There are also drawings for railways around the world: the USA, Russia, Japan, India, Australia and Egypt, among others, as well as contemporary photographs and posters.

Throughout, Valkoinen provides valuable insights into the social and political impact of the railways. He also reveals how these drawings are more than a reference tool for the historian or modelmaker; they are exquisite works of art, painstakingly produced by highly skilled artists, which can be appreciated in their own right.

With 300 illustrations
Read more

Review

'One of the most extraordinary and original new books about the railways … I cannot commend this book more highly' - Michael Wenn Williams

'Dipping in at random throws up all kinds of interesting snippets of technical and social history and is rewarding enough to make you want to return again and again and to share your new discoveries with your family and friends' - E&T Magazine

'Sumptuous and highly informative ... sharing the jewels of the museum’s archive with the general reader' - Steven Parissien, The Art Newspaper

'Fascinating' - Country Life

'Fabulous' - RAIL Magazine

'An original approach coupled with a high standard of presentation … The range of topics is remarkable' - Friends of the National Railway Museum’s Review

'Sumptuous and fascinating' - The Bay Swansea

Book Description

A compendium of magnificent engineering drawings that gives a unique overview of the history of railways

Reviews:

5.0 out of 5 stars Railway book of 2021!

A. · 11 October 2021

There are very few books which describe history through original engineering and architectural drawings. With Britain's long and distinguished history of engineering achievements, from land, sea and in the air, this is a much neglected aspect of the combining of technology and culture; often two inseparable aspects of Britain's past. This book proves that this omission needs to be addressed if only to make accessible rare and unique collections of engineering draughtsmanship and their important and necessary relevance in Britain's development. In summary, this book is likely to be recognised as THE railway book of the year, if not the decade! Not only are the contents excellent and varied, but the design and production complements the book almost perfectly! The author, Christopher Valkoinen, is to be congratulated on an outstanding publication.The title might be misleading, for it covers not just railways, but many of the subsidiary aspects of designing, building and running a railway, including the necessary infrastructure for the same. The book also covers aspects of railway engineering design and technology often ignored in other studies, such as workers, building railways for other countries and railways at war, and much else besides.The sub title - A History in Drawings - sums up this book. And it is through the numerous drawings that make this book what it is, supported by an informative text and numerous photographs. The quality of draughtsmanship is exquisite and demonstrates without doubt that current computer-generated drawings will never compare favourably with hand-rendered drawings, many tinted with watercolour washes, making many of these works of art in their own right. Indeed, a close examination of any of these drawings show a skill level that is no longer expected - or indeed taught - in today's boringly dull equivalents. How many modern 'draughtsmen' are able to apply watercolour washes? How many could handle traditional drawing instruments? Sadly, very few, if any!What is further evident through a vast majority of the drawings reproduced in this book, supported by many of the detail photographs, is the quality of workmanship, be it a steam locomotive, a passenger carriage, a war department hospital carriage for wounded soldiers, or a station master's house. And this quality of workmanship is evident in the smallest of detail. Compare with today's reliance on mass-produced plastic with no regard to quality, and even less regard to pride in one's work, assuming of course that today's joiners, plumbers, et al, have the skills to compete with those prior to 1970. So-called 'modern apprenticeships' are nothing more than a political sham when compared to the in-depth training that was accepted as the norm during much of the period covered by this book. And the starting point for much of this quality of workmanship was through the skill of the draughtsmen.No book can ever be perfect. One gripe is having double-page spreads where parts of drawings disappear in the gutter. This is not the fault of the author, but of the publisher's designers. One day publisher's might actually listen to this oft cited issue with books of this nature. However, the large landscape format of this book does help alleviate this commonly-found problem. And although this is a valid criticism, it does not invalidate the quality of the contents of this book.This book comes highly recommended - not just for railway historians, enthusiasts and model makers, but also anyone interested in engineering and technological history. I would even suggest that some art and design students will find much of interest and inspiration in the pages of this book, if they had the lateral inclination to examine in detail some of the drawings in this book!Hopefully this book will be so successful that it will inspire the National Railway Museum, in York, to publish further studies based on its unique collection of railway drawings (and photographs).This book deserves ten stars!

5.0 out of 5 stars A very special book - a must have for your railway book collection.

A.D.L. · 19 September 2021

This book was bought to my attention by a Geoff Marshall video on YouTube. He had gone to the National Railway Museum in York to visit the author who spends his time digitising railway drawings. It’s a beast of book. Expensive but available on Bolo for a good discount. You know when you have something special when the box it was delivered in was weighty! Anyway it is a gorgeous book. Well laid out with crisp drawings and detailed explanations. The effort and love putting this together is staggering. Covering locomotives, carriages, maps and station designs it is a must have addition. Finding a place for it in the bookshelf is going to be a challenge!

5.0 out of 5 stars It is underdescribed and well worth the purchase

A.G.H. · 9 August 2022

Better than I expected , an excellent gift for railway enthusiasts

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Book

M.D.R.F. · 3 June 2022

Excellent book with some great images. Can read from start to finish or just browse individual drawings.

5.0 out of 5 stars A very successful gift!

S.M. · 27 January 2022

I bought this book for my partner who is mad on miniature steam railways and engines, in fact all things railway related! He loves it and was really interested in the detailed drawings, a very good gift to give!

4.0 out of 5 stars A mine of detail and info, but...

S. · 6 June 2022

I agree with the reviews so far. The book is packed with information and illustrations. Sadly much of the annotation is too small to read but I appreciate there was little choice. The 'landscape' format is unwieldy but this will be to accommodate the plans.I have only one gripe, and it made me annoyed. That is the author's tendency to wander off track and bash the Empire. I appreciate this is fashionable, but it made us and it made most of the railways, so deal with it and stop being woke please.

5.0 out of 5 stars beautifully produced and written book. a must have for railway enthusiasts library.

A.C. · 4 October 2021

loved the quality and content of this book, a valuable addition to my library, arrived early and very well packaged, worth evry penny!

5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing

L. · 17 January 2023

This was a gift for my dad and he absolutely loved it. It is a stunning book the illustrations are outstanding. Makes you go … wow!

Gorgeous pictures

R.E. · 19 March 2022

A beautiful book even if you don't particularly care for steam engines.

Sehr interessant

G.K. · 3 October 2025

Eine sehr interessante Zusammenstellung mit außergewöhnlichen Zeichnungen.

Great book

D.D. · 4 November 2022

Very to to read and very good drawings

If you're a rail fan you want this book

N.S. · 12 August 2022

Well written, beautifully illustrated. Worth the price in my opinion, and an excellent addition to my railway library.

Amazon's warehouse handling of items needs to improve

M.W. · 23 April 2023

The book content is excellent. A wealth of knowledge.The handling of this book was terrible.A corner of the book was crushed, and some of the internal pages were pushed in.This book was wrapped in plastic, so it probably got dropped onto something, while being handled.The shipping of this book was OK.No damage there, so no indication of any damage.Until, the book was unwrapped, then - surprise !This book was not cheap !I hope this is not the new norm.

Visit the Thames and Hudson Ltd Store

Railways: A History in Drawings

Product ID: K0500021678
Condition: New

4.9

AED34347

Price includes VAT & Import Duties
Type: Hardcover
Availability: In Stock

Quantity:

|

Order today to get by 7-14 business days

This item qualifies for free delivery

Returns & Warranty policies

Imported From: United Kingdom

At BOLO, we work hard to ensure the products you receive are new, genuine, and sourced from reputable suppliers.

BOLO is not an authorized or official retailer for most brands, nor are we affiliated with manufacturers unless specifically stated on a product page. Instead, we source verified sellers, authorized distributors or directly from the manufacturer.

Each product undergoes thorough inspection and verification at our consolidation and fulfilment centers to ensure it meets our strict authenticity and quality standards before being shipped and delivered to you.

If you ever have concerns regarding the authenticity of a product purchased from us, please contact Bolo Support. We will review your inquiry promptly and, if necessary, provide documentation verifying authenticity or offer a suitable resolution.

Your trust is our top priority, and we are committed to maintaining transparency and integrity in every transaction.

All product information, images, descriptions, and reviews originate from the manufacturer or from trusted sellers overseas. BOLO is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or an authorized retailer for most brands listed on our website unless stated otherwise.

While we strive to display accurate information, variations in packaging, labeling, instructions, or formulation may occasionally occur due to regional differences or supplier updates. For detailed or manufacturer-specific information, please contact the brand directly or reach out to BOLO Support for assistance.

Unless otherwise stated, all prices displayed on the product page include applicable taxes and import duties.

BOLO operates in accordance with the laws and regulations of United Arab Emirates. Any items found to be restricted or prohibited for sale within the UAE will be cancelled prior to shipment. We take proactive measures to ensure that only products permitted for sale in United Arab Emirates are listed on our website.

All items are shipped by air, and any products classified as “Dangerous Goods (DG)” under IATA regulations will be removed from the order and cancelled.

All orders are processed manually, and we make every effort to process them promptly once confirmed. Products cancelled due to the above reasons will be permanently removed from listings across the website.

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Visit the Thames and Hudson Ltd Store

Railways: A History in Drawings

Product ID: K0500021678
Condition: New

4.9

Railways: A History in Drawings-0
Type: Hardcover

AED34347

Price includes VAT & Import Duties
Availability: In Stock

Quantity:

|

Order today to get by 7-14 business days

This item qualifies for free delivery

Returns & Warranty policies

Imported From: United Kingdom

At BOLO, we work hard to ensure the products you receive are new, genuine, and sourced from reputable suppliers.

BOLO is not an authorized or official retailer for most brands, nor are we affiliated with manufacturers unless specifically stated on a product page. Instead, we source verified sellers, authorized distributors or directly from the manufacturer.

Each product undergoes thorough inspection and verification at our consolidation and fulfilment centers to ensure it meets our strict authenticity and quality standards before being shipped and delivered to you.

If you ever have concerns regarding the authenticity of a product purchased from us, please contact Bolo Support. We will review your inquiry promptly and, if necessary, provide documentation verifying authenticity or offer a suitable resolution.

Your trust is our top priority, and we are committed to maintaining transparency and integrity in every transaction.

All product information, images, descriptions, and reviews originate from the manufacturer or from trusted sellers overseas. BOLO is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or an authorized retailer for most brands listed on our website unless stated otherwise.

While we strive to display accurate information, variations in packaging, labeling, instructions, or formulation may occasionally occur due to regional differences or supplier updates. For detailed or manufacturer-specific information, please contact the brand directly or reach out to BOLO Support for assistance.

Unless otherwise stated, all prices displayed on the product page include applicable taxes and import duties.

BOLO operates in accordance with the laws and regulations of United Arab Emirates. Any items found to be restricted or prohibited for sale within the UAE will be cancelled prior to shipment. We take proactive measures to ensure that only products permitted for sale in United Arab Emirates are listed on our website.

All items are shipped by air, and any products classified as “Dangerous Goods (DG)” under IATA regulations will be removed from the order and cancelled.

All orders are processed manually, and we make every effort to process them promptly once confirmed. Products cancelled due to the above reasons will be permanently removed from listings across the website.

Description:

The advent of railways in Britain was a fundamental part of its economic and social revolution in the 19th century, with technical advances that were the envy of the world and chronicled from the beginning through meticulous drawings. Detailed plans were created of locomotives, carriages and wagons, as well as of stations, bridges and tunnels, to facilitate the manufacturing process and the maintenance of the rapidly expanding railway network.

Miraculously, about a million of these magnificent drawings have survived and are held in the National Railway Museum in York. Christopher Valkoinen has selected over 130 examples that tell the engineering history of great innovations and triumphs, such as the Forth Bridge, and reveal the work of famous pioneers, including Richard Trevithick, George Stephenson, and Nigel Gresley of Flying Scotsman fame. Other plans range from Queen Victoria’s royal saloon and a travelling post office to a station tea-room at York and modern experiments with a hovertrain. There are also drawings for railways around the world: the USA, Russia, Japan, India, Australia and Egypt, among others, as well as contemporary photographs and posters.

Throughout, Valkoinen provides valuable insights into the social and political impact of the railways. He also reveals how these drawings are more than a reference tool for the historian or modelmaker; they are exquisite works of art, painstakingly produced by highly skilled artists, which can be appreciated in their own right.

With 300 illustrations
Read more

Review

'One of the most extraordinary and original new books about the railways … I cannot commend this book more highly' - Michael Wenn Williams

'Dipping in at random throws up all kinds of interesting snippets of technical and social history and is rewarding enough to make you want to return again and again and to share your new discoveries with your family and friends' - E&T Magazine

'Sumptuous and highly informative ... sharing the jewels of the museum’s archive with the general reader' - Steven Parissien, The Art Newspaper

'Fascinating' - Country Life

'Fabulous' - RAIL Magazine

'An original approach coupled with a high standard of presentation … The range of topics is remarkable' - Friends of the National Railway Museum’s Review

'Sumptuous and fascinating' - The Bay Swansea

Book Description

A compendium of magnificent engineering drawings that gives a unique overview of the history of railways

Reviews:

5.0 out of 5 stars Railway book of 2021!

A. · 11 October 2021

There are very few books which describe history through original engineering and architectural drawings. With Britain's long and distinguished history of engineering achievements, from land, sea and in the air, this is a much neglected aspect of the combining of technology and culture; often two inseparable aspects of Britain's past. This book proves that this omission needs to be addressed if only to make accessible rare and unique collections of engineering draughtsmanship and their important and necessary relevance in Britain's development. In summary, this book is likely to be recognised as THE railway book of the year, if not the decade! Not only are the contents excellent and varied, but the design and production complements the book almost perfectly! The author, Christopher Valkoinen, is to be congratulated on an outstanding publication.The title might be misleading, for it covers not just railways, but many of the subsidiary aspects of designing, building and running a railway, including the necessary infrastructure for the same. The book also covers aspects of railway engineering design and technology often ignored in other studies, such as workers, building railways for other countries and railways at war, and much else besides.The sub title - A History in Drawings - sums up this book. And it is through the numerous drawings that make this book what it is, supported by an informative text and numerous photographs. The quality of draughtsmanship is exquisite and demonstrates without doubt that current computer-generated drawings will never compare favourably with hand-rendered drawings, many tinted with watercolour washes, making many of these works of art in their own right. Indeed, a close examination of any of these drawings show a skill level that is no longer expected - or indeed taught - in today's boringly dull equivalents. How many modern 'draughtsmen' are able to apply watercolour washes? How many could handle traditional drawing instruments? Sadly, very few, if any!What is further evident through a vast majority of the drawings reproduced in this book, supported by many of the detail photographs, is the quality of workmanship, be it a steam locomotive, a passenger carriage, a war department hospital carriage for wounded soldiers, or a station master's house. And this quality of workmanship is evident in the smallest of detail. Compare with today's reliance on mass-produced plastic with no regard to quality, and even less regard to pride in one's work, assuming of course that today's joiners, plumbers, et al, have the skills to compete with those prior to 1970. So-called 'modern apprenticeships' are nothing more than a political sham when compared to the in-depth training that was accepted as the norm during much of the period covered by this book. And the starting point for much of this quality of workmanship was through the skill of the draughtsmen.No book can ever be perfect. One gripe is having double-page spreads where parts of drawings disappear in the gutter. This is not the fault of the author, but of the publisher's designers. One day publisher's might actually listen to this oft cited issue with books of this nature. However, the large landscape format of this book does help alleviate this commonly-found problem. And although this is a valid criticism, it does not invalidate the quality of the contents of this book.This book comes highly recommended - not just for railway historians, enthusiasts and model makers, but also anyone interested in engineering and technological history. I would even suggest that some art and design students will find much of interest and inspiration in the pages of this book, if they had the lateral inclination to examine in detail some of the drawings in this book!Hopefully this book will be so successful that it will inspire the National Railway Museum, in York, to publish further studies based on its unique collection of railway drawings (and photographs).This book deserves ten stars!

5.0 out of 5 stars A very special book - a must have for your railway book collection.

A.D.L. · 19 September 2021

This book was bought to my attention by a Geoff Marshall video on YouTube. He had gone to the National Railway Museum in York to visit the author who spends his time digitising railway drawings. It’s a beast of book. Expensive but available on Bolo for a good discount. You know when you have something special when the box it was delivered in was weighty! Anyway it is a gorgeous book. Well laid out with crisp drawings and detailed explanations. The effort and love putting this together is staggering. Covering locomotives, carriages, maps and station designs it is a must have addition. Finding a place for it in the bookshelf is going to be a challenge!

5.0 out of 5 stars It is underdescribed and well worth the purchase

A.G.H. · 9 August 2022

Better than I expected , an excellent gift for railway enthusiasts

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Book

M.D.R.F. · 3 June 2022

Excellent book with some great images. Can read from start to finish or just browse individual drawings.

5.0 out of 5 stars A very successful gift!

S.M. · 27 January 2022

I bought this book for my partner who is mad on miniature steam railways and engines, in fact all things railway related! He loves it and was really interested in the detailed drawings, a very good gift to give!

4.0 out of 5 stars A mine of detail and info, but...

S. · 6 June 2022

I agree with the reviews so far. The book is packed with information and illustrations. Sadly much of the annotation is too small to read but I appreciate there was little choice. The 'landscape' format is unwieldy but this will be to accommodate the plans.I have only one gripe, and it made me annoyed. That is the author's tendency to wander off track and bash the Empire. I appreciate this is fashionable, but it made us and it made most of the railways, so deal with it and stop being woke please.

5.0 out of 5 stars beautifully produced and written book. a must have for railway enthusiasts library.

A.C. · 4 October 2021

loved the quality and content of this book, a valuable addition to my library, arrived early and very well packaged, worth evry penny!

5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing

L. · 17 January 2023

This was a gift for my dad and he absolutely loved it. It is a stunning book the illustrations are outstanding. Makes you go … wow!

Gorgeous pictures

R.E. · 19 March 2022

A beautiful book even if you don't particularly care for steam engines.

Sehr interessant

G.K. · 3 October 2025

Eine sehr interessante Zusammenstellung mit außergewöhnlichen Zeichnungen.

Great book

D.D. · 4 November 2022

Very to to read and very good drawings

If you're a rail fan you want this book

N.S. · 12 August 2022

Well written, beautifully illustrated. Worth the price in my opinion, and an excellent addition to my railway library.

Amazon's warehouse handling of items needs to improve

M.W. · 23 April 2023

The book content is excellent. A wealth of knowledge.The handling of this book was terrible.A corner of the book was crushed, and some of the internal pages were pushed in.This book was wrapped in plastic, so it probably got dropped onto something, while being handled.The shipping of this book was OK.No damage there, so no indication of any damage.Until, the book was unwrapped, then - surprise !This book was not cheap !I hope this is not the new norm.

Similar suggestions by Bolo

More from this brand

Similar items from “History”

Share with

Or share with link

https://www.bolo.ae/products/K0500021678