Given the amount of discussion regarding contemporary steam operations on this board, preservation appears to be a topic of particular interest to numerous forum participants. Posts frequently reference the UK's preservation movement. To that end, I'd like to recommend a book which I believe would be of interest to many of you. It is titled "For the Love of Trains: The Story of British Tram and Railway Preservation." Published by Ian Allan and authored by Denis Dunstone, a respected member of the railway preservation community, the book addresses a comprehensive range of topics ranging from what it takes to run special trains on the main line to management of infrastructure and operations of heritage railways. Nothing is considered off limits; politics, financing, it's all here. A splendid account of how the preservation started is provided, including a detailed account of the role of Barry Scrap Yard and the many retired steam locomotives awaiting scrapping at its facility.
The book has proven very popular and is already in its second printing. Of the many books in my collection, it's up near the top of my list of favorites. It's educational and entertaining at the same time. I would think any enthusiast with an interest in the preservation and operation of vintage equipment would find the book a worthwhile investment.
British titles are not easy to find in the states. My preferred source for UK books is www.bookdepository.com. I've purchased from The Book Depository on numerous occasions on orders are consistently almost as quickly as those from many domestic dealers. The site even provides US customers the opportunity to place orders in US Dollars. Plus, priority shipping is free. The price you see is the price you pay. Here's the link to the book on The Book Depository's website:
http://www.bookdepository.com/...nstone/9780711033016
Bob
