This page lists books and other references for GWR Modellers. The list has been compiled by John Lewis, who is a GWR historian himself, and author of several books and articles on GWR coaching stock. Many thanks to John for letting me reproduce the list below, parts of which were originally posted on the GWR E-list. Note that some of the references are annotated.

Locomotives

Railway Correspondence Society "Locomotives of the Great Western Railway", RTCS Vols 1-14: 1. Preliminary survey 2. Broad Gauge 3. Absorbed engines 1854-1921 4. Six-wheeled tender engines 5. Six-coupled tank engines 6. Four-coupled tank engines 7. Dean's larger tender engines 8. Modern passenger classes 9. Standard two-cylinder classes 10. Absorbed engines 1922-1947 11. The rail motor vehicles and internal combustion locomotives 12. A chronological and statistical survey 13. Preservation and supplementary information 14. Names; railmotor services; war service; preservation

J.H Russell "A Pictorial Record of Great Western Engines", OPC Vols 1-3: Vol 1: “Gooch, Armstrong & Dean Locomotives” Vol 2: “Churchward, Collet & Hawksworth Locomotives” Vol 3: “Absorbed Locomotives”

I. Harrison "Great Western Railway Locomotive Allocations for 1921", Wild Swan

N. Pocock & I. Harrison "Great Western Railway Locomotive Allocations for 1934", Wild Swan

J.H. Russell "Great Western Diesel Railcars", Wild Swan

The locomotive allocations registers for the last century are (with about three exceptions) in the Public Record Office. See the RAIL 254 series.

Coaches and Brown Stock

M. Harris "Great Western Coaches from 1890", D&C This gives an overall picture of the passenger coaches built from 1890 onwards - ie it does not cover early 4 and 6 wheel stock, or the early bogie stock. The 1985 edition is probably the best so far. Passenger coaches, SRMs, Passenger Brake Vans and similar only. It omits Siphons, Horse boxes, Carriage truck vehicles.

J.H. Russell "Great Western Coaches Vol 1 & 2", OPC Particularly for the photographs. Beware of the captions - especially in Vol.1. In spite of the errors this complements the Appendix volumes and goes further back.

J.H. Russell "Great Western Coaches Appendix Vol 1", OPC This deals with bogie coaches only: Firsts, Thirds, Brake Thirds, Composites. Ie it covers diags A - E. Note that it largely deals with coaches built this century. The coverage of older coaches is very limited

J.H. Rusell "Great Western Coaches Appendix Vol 2", OPC Covers diagrams F onwards - ie Slip coaches, Saloons, Catering, Sleeping, Passenger Brake Vans, Mail, Parcels, Trailers etc. Its coverage of older coaches is better than Vol 1, but not perfect. Some Brakedown vans and tenders are included, and there are some interior views.

E.R. Mountford "Register of GWR Absorbed Coaching Stock 1922/3", Oakwood If you are modelling an absorbed line before say 1930 (after which most had been scrapped).

J. Lewis "Great Western Autotrailers Vols 1 & 2", Wild Swan Part 1 deals with trailers built before the Great War, and Steam Rail Motor conversions. These mostly lasted until the end of the GWR. Also includes the clerestory trailers, Clifton Downs stock, etc. Part 2 deals with absorbed trailers and ones built/altered from ordinary coaches after the Great War. I think it is definitive on the subject - but then I wrote it !

J. Lewis "Official Drawings No.3: Great Western Coaches", Wild Swan This is an attempt to cover most designs of coach from Dreadnaughts onwards. Only gangwayed coaches: Dreadnaught compo to dia E77 Concertina third to dia C27 and compo to dia E80 Toplight 57ft single ended slip to dia F14 Toplight 70 ft 3rds to dias C29/C33/C38 Collett PLV to dia K38 Ex-toplight ambulance coach with Collett style body to dia C55 Riveria third C59 Collett 9ft wide large window brake third to dia D124 Collett 8ft 11in wide large window third to dia C77 Hawksworth brake third to dia D133.

.N. Slinn & B.K. Clarke "Great Western Siphons", Historical Model Railway Society Covers all siphons and derivatives but not milk tanks etc. Includes Lot numbers, Diagram codes and running numbers. Includes drawings which are unfortunately largely undimensioned. Now out of print.

General notes: If you are modelling a main line then the Public Record Office has many of the Through Coach Programmes booklets. They also have a number of the Bristol Division local coach workings booklets, but otherwise these are rather more rare than hen's teeth on the open market. Copies from the PRO are not cheap, but finding copies elsewhere is difficult/impossible - though you might try the GWS Library at Didcot, or the Swindon Museum. If you are interested in 4-wheelers, join the Great Western Study Group, (recommended anyway) and get hold of "Pannier" No.12 and No.14, which have details on these coaches.

Goods stock

J.H. Russell "A Pictorial Record of Great Western Wagons", OPC

J.H. Russell "Great Western Wagons Appendix, Vol. 1", OPC

Atkins, Beard & Tourret "GWR Goods Wagons", Tourret Publishing

Historical Model Railway Society "All about Iron Minks", HMRS

T. Atkins & D. Hyde "GWR Goods Services: An Introduction", Wild Swan

Broad Gauge

Edwardian GWR

1920s and 1930s

Other Subjects

J. N. Slinn "Great Western Way", Historical Model Railway Society Extensive livery details

E. Lyons "Great Western Engine Sheds 1947", OPC

E. Lyons & E. Mountford "Great Western Engine Sheds 1837-1947", OPC

A. Vaughan "A Pictorial Record of Great Western Signalling", OPC

D. Smith "GWR Switch and Crossing Practice", Great Western Study Group

General

Webmasters note:

If you decide to purchase any of the above books, consider these two sources:

Nigel Bird Books is a friendly, reliable and very knowledgable trader of both secondhand, new, and out of print railway books.

Transport Diversions is a fast and efficient supplier of new books, with a good on-line ordering system.