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204871
Kelly, Maurice A.
- The Overtype Steam Road Waggon
Goose & Son, Norwich, 1971. Quarto hardcover; black boards with gilt spine titling; 147pp., monochrome illustrations and diagrams. Toning to text block and page edges with some mild foxing to early pages; slight creasing to dustwrapper edges. Very good to near fine and wrapper now professionally protected by superior non-adhesive polypropylene film. "This book catalogues of all the known overtypes - Allehin, Aveling & Porter, Burrell, Clayton, Danks, Foden, Foster, Garrett, Mann, Naylor, Ransomes, Robey, Alley & McLellan, Straker-Squire, Tasker and Wallis & Stevens - even Pecard from France, Buffalo-Springfield from Illinois, and Langbridge - and this treatment does disclose the subtle differences between outwardly alike engines, and one marvels at the data provided, which covers lists of owners against vehicle numbers, notes on restored waggons, specifications, and a few tit-bits about the shortcomings, the defects, of some of the different makes and models. There are plans and detail drawings, as well as photographs, 180 in all, and a bibliography. It would be unfair to the author to divulge the aforesaid tit-bits in this review but those who are avid for every scrap of information about steamers will relish them. Moreover, the book will tell you which steam waggon had front-wheel-brakes, which a chain oil-bath, which makes invested in expensive loco-type Belpaire boilers, and how Foden chassis patents were circumnavigated, etc., etc. Apart from the make-by-make lore which unfolds in fascinating detail, with pictorial support invaluable to would-be model makers, especially as types of valves and valve-gear, badges, makers' colours, etc., are quoted, there is a brief introductory history, much information on how to operate and maintain overtype waggons, even a facsimile of the letter sent out by The Coal Utilisation Council in the summer of 1934 to try to encourage the retention of steam on British roads, which, alas, fell mostly on deaf ears due to the tax imposition imposed on coal-burners. Incidentally, the author chooses a Robey for the colour frontispiece, fittingly, as this was the most advanced and refined of the overtypes. It is rather depressing to be told that in all the World only about 25 steam waggons remain - let Maurice Kelly's book be their memorial. " - Motorsport 1971. Click here to order
$50
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