|
These books are NOT supplied by Acumen Books but can be obtained direct from the publishers: Leisure Products, 11 Bedford Grove, Alsager, Stoke-on-Trent, ENGLAND, ST7 2SR. Send SAE for price list - indicating probable quantities so that we can estimate postage. Sports Books are listed below railways. |
|
|
|
|
RAILWAY HISTORY |
|
||
|
Railway conversion - the impractical dream was published Aug 2006, ISBN 0-9535225-1-2; pbk, pages vii, 220; 24 photos; from booksellers or the publisher: £13.95. It is a critical analysis of the railway conversion idea. It proves that conversion to roads is impractical. Only 250 miles of 10,000 miles of railway closed since the idea was first advanced in 1954, are ‘converted’. Most were short lengths that had to be widened. Most closed lines have converted to footpaths & cycleways, for which the limited railway width is not a problem. The traffic claimed to be on roads is being over-estimated, so that the road/rail disparity is exaggerated. Unsafe practices have held down road transport costs and undermined competition by railways. Conversion of railways to guided busways - a new and costly gimmick - will give another subsidy to bus operators, who now enjoy free bus lanes, red routes, shelters, laybys and raised pavements. They will not pay all infrastructure costs for a converted railway. Hence, they are not financially comparable with rail. Complications for the concept, arising from thousands of public, private and farm level crossings are ignored. The author, E.A. Gibbins, joined the LMS Railway as a junior and rose to be a Chief Officer with British Rail. Reviews awaited. Published by Leisure Products, 11 Bedford Grove, Alsager, Stoke on Trent ST7 2SR
|
|
||
|
Britain's Railways - The Reality 0-9535225-0-4, pbk, pages v, 212; from booksellers or the publisher: £12.95 The Reality is that government policy lost freight and prevented British Rail from restoring pre-war standards for 10 years, much less modernising whilst road transport was free to modernise; that it held on to rail funds, enforced retention of uneconomic lines without subsidy; created deficits, created a bureaucratic organisation to run railways led by retired civil servants and generals. The Reality is that BR managers were continually cutting costs, and fares trailed inflation for 40 years. InterCity and Network South East were profitable, and only the provincial sector - rural and secondary routes - needed a subsidy and that was falling. BR did not cease to modernise 40 years ago, assets were not decrepit, and their average age was less than it is now. BR was - as newcomers & the media have since said "one of the most efficient in Europe”. The Reality is that privatised railways began with twice the subsidy needed by BR; many companies are unable to live within the agreed subsidy; Railtrack was not supposed to get a subsidy, but could not continue without it; complaints are higher, railways less safe and less punctual, get less effective investment than under BR, and costs the taxpayer more, when the market should have funded it. The Reality is that, unless politicians have the courage to make a “U” turn, thousands of miles of secondary and rural lines will close, so that their subsidy can be diverted to main routes which didn’t need subsidy under BR. Favourably reviewed in Traction, June 2004; Modern Railways, August 2004, and the Journal of the Railway & Canal Historical Society, July 2005. The author, E.A. Gibbins, joined the LMS Railway as a junior and rose to be a Chief Officer with British Rail. Published by Leisure Products, 11 Bedford Grove, Alsager, Stoke on Trent ST7 2SR
|
|
||
|
"Blueprints for Bankruptcy", 1995, pbk, pages: v, 218; 9" x 7". An appraisal of how Government actions led directly to British Railways' financial & quality of service problems. Examines the effect of the role and actions of watchdogs, media, industry, suppliers & users upon performance & popular perceptions of nationalised railways. |
£11.95
ISBN |
||
|
"Square Deal Denied", 1998, pbk, pages: vi, 202; 9" x 7". The full story of the long unsuccessful campaign fought by pre-war privately owned railways to obtain commercial & legal freedom equal to that enjoyed by road haulage. |
£11.95
ISBN |
||
|
"The
Railway Closure Controversy", pbk, 2000. An examination
of some railway closures subject to bitter criticism which is now
shown to be unwarranted and ill founded.
|
£12.95
ISBN |
||
|
"Britain’s Railways", pbk, 2003 |
£12.95
- ISBN |
||
|
"Railway Conversion", pbk, to be published in August 2006. An examination of the proposal to convert some railway lines into roads. |
ISBN |
||
|
|
|
||
|
RAILWAYS |
GENERAL |
|
|
|
Personal Journey Record Book - A5 size, illustrated cover, for rail travellers to keep a record of journeys, delays, fastest journeys and a cumulative total of mileage travelled & stations visited. Used by enthusiasts, commuters and others 1988. |
£1.75
LP17 |
||
|
|
|
||
|
ALL SPORTS |
|
|
|
|
Sport Stars Autograph Book - A6 size, cover illustrated with silhouettes of different sports players; pages printed with spaces to record interesting details about the player and the occasion, thus creating a useful record. |
LP8 |
|
|
|
Sport Stars Autograph Book - A6 size, cover illustrated with silhouettes of different sports players; blank pages. 1987 |
£1.75
LP8P |
|
|
|
Sport Stars Photo Album - A6 size, cover illustrated with silhouettes of different sports players; pages printed with "frames" for sticky print photos up to 81mm x 54mm, and "box" for biography. |
LP9 |
|
|
|
Sport Stars Team Photo Album - A5 size, pages have "frames" for photos up to 7 ins x 5 ins and section for details about players; Team Photo page. |
LP14P |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
CRICKET |
|
|
|
|
Cricketer's Own Record Book - A5 size, Covers illustrated by batsman & bowler, player records own performance (batting, bowling & fielding), also team results. 1986 |
£2.99
LP2 |
|
|
|
Cricket Championship Record - A6 size, cover illustrated with batsman. To record main details of County Championship matches. Leaves out the traditional ball by ball and run by run record. Championship summary Table. |
LP20 |
|
|
|
Mini Scorebook - A6 size. cover illustrated with batsman. To record main details of matches other than Championship. Leaves out traditional ball by ball and run by run record. |
LP23 |
|
|
|
New Scoring Book - A5 size, Cover illustrated by batsman & bowler. A team scorebook which enables runs to be scored simultaneously for the batsman & against the bowler. Has sections to record other interesting statistics and data. Ideal for spectator's use. 1987 |
£9.99
LP11 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
RUGBY |
|
|
|
|
Rugby League Log Book - A5 size, enables a supporter to keep a record of games, players, scores, incidents etc & progress in league & cup matches. |
LP15P |
|
|
|
Rugby Record Book - A6 size, to keep a brief record of games, players, scores, incidents etc. |
LP22P |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
SOCCER |
|
|
Soccer Fan's Log Book - A5 size, a fan can record details of all games : players, scores. incidents, who scores; summary pages for league & cup matches. |
LP3 |
|
Soccer Record Book - A6 size, to keep a brief record of games, players, scores, incidents etc. |
LP21P |
|
|
|
|
SPEEDWAY |
|
|
Speedway Stars Photo Album - A6 size, Based on Sports Star Photo Album (see LP9P), cover illustrated with picture of Speedway riders. |
LP12P |
|
|
|
These books are NOT supplied by Acumen Books but can be obtained direct from the publishers: Leisure Products, 11 Bedford Grove, Alsager, Stoke-on-Trent, ENGLAND, ST7 2SR. Send SAE for price list - indicating probable quantities so that we can estimate postage.
