NEW BOOK - Welford Park Station - Stations of the GWR

A well researched history of one of closed branch line stations on the Great Western Railway. 

Welford Park Station is no more. This was once the busiest of all the stations on the Lambourn Valley Line serving as it did the huge RAF base nearby as well as the village of Welford. But now there is little left on the ground to show where this railway station once stood. Some of the older residents can still remember the trains rattling through the station and over the bridge crossing the River Kennet.

In this book we learn when Welford Park Station was built and why. The impact the station had on the surrounding area is explained and the type of freight and passengers that used the station are explained.

The book also takes a look at the large RAF base nearby and its role in World War II.

In 1905 the Lambourn Valley Railway was taken over by the GWR and the entire branch line was upgraded and brought to GWR standards. The line remained open until 1964, but is now closed, the tracks lifted and the stations gone. How this station was affected is described.

This book is one of the Lambourn Valley Railway series that looks in detail at the stations along that now closed branch line. The Lambourn Valley Railway series is part of the Stations of the Great Western Railway collection published by Bretwalda Books

Join the discussion and find out more on the FaceBook page for this series of books.

NEW BOOK - Boxford Station - Stations of the GWR

The fourth book in our series on the Lambourn Valley Line is now available.

An appealing history of a once busy rural station on a branch line of the Great Western Railway. 

Boxford was for many years a bustling little rural station on the branch line from Newbury to Lambourn. It is closed now, but some of the older residents can still remember the trains rattling through the station.

In this book we learn when Newbury West Fields was built and why. The impact the station had on the surrounding area is explained and the type of freight and passengers that used the station are explained.

The book also tells the tale of Charlie Brown, porter here for 36 years and takes a look at the locomotives that ran on the Lambourn Valley line on which this station stood.

In 1905 the LVR was taken over by the GWR and the entire branch line was upgraded and brought to GWR standards. The line remained open until 1964, but is now closed, the tracks lifted and the stations gone. How this station was affected is described.

This book is one of the Lambourn Valley Railway series that looks in detail at the stations along that now closed branch line. The Lambourn Valley Railway series is part of the Stations of the Great Western Railway collection published by Bretwalda Books

About the Author
Charles D’Arvelle is a railway enthusiast who has a particular fascination with closed branch lines. He has spent many happy hours tracing the locations of closed stations, abanoned sidings and lost railway tracks. He declares it is a great way to get out and explore the British countryside.

The FaceBook page for the book series is HERE
You can buy the book HERE

NEW BOOK - Stockcross & Bagnor Station on the GWR

The third book in our Stations of the GWR collection is now available.

A dedicated history of one of this rural station on the Great Western Railway.

Stockcross and Bagnor Station no more. This once bustling rural branch line station closed in the 1960s. Steam engines once chuffed up the long gradient from Newbury, stopped at Stockcross and Bagnor and then pushed on to Lambourn at the end of the line.

In this book we learn when Stockcross and Bagnor was built and why. The impact the station had on the surrounding area is explained and the type of freight and passengers that used the station are explained.

The book also takes a look at the construciton of the Lambourn Valley Railway (LVR) on which line this station stood.

In 1905 the LVR was taken over by the GWR and the entire branch line was upgraded and brought to GWR standards. The line remained open until 1964, but is now closed, the tracks lifted and the stations gone. How this station was affected is described.

This book is one of the Lambourn Valley Railway series that looks in detail at the stations along that now closed branch line. The Lambourn Valley Railway series is part of the Stations of the Great Western Railway collection published by Bretwalda Books

About the Author
Charles D’Arvelle is a railway enthusiast who has a particular fascination with closed branch lines. He has spent many happy hours tracing the locations of closed stations, abanoned sidings and lost railway tracks. He declares it is a great way to get out and explore the British countryside.

You can buy the KINDLE EDITION HERE
You can buy OTHER EBOOK FORMATS HERE

NEW BOOK - Speen for Donnington Station

We have now published the second book in our "Stations of the Great Western Railway" collection. This time the station is Speen for Donnington on the Lambourn Line.

A charming history of one of the vanished Great Western Railway stations that closed in the 1960s. 

Speen for Donnington Station is no more. This small rural station once had its own full time staff and a thriving traffic of passengers and agricultural produce. Some of the older residents in the villages can still remember the trains rattling through the station, over the level crossing and through the tunnel on their way to Newbury, Berkshire.

In this book we learn when Speen for Donnington was built and why. The impact the station had on the surrounding area is explained and the type of freight and passengers that used the station are explained. The fatal accident of 1898 in which two people were killed is here, as are some of the colourful characters who lived in the smart village of Donnington. The thrilling events of the Battle of Newbury, fought in 1644 over the land where the station was later built, are explained.

The book also takes a look at the Lambourn Valley Railway (LVR) on which line this station stood.

In 1905 the LVR was taken over by the GWR and the entire branch line was upgraded and brought to GWR standards. The line remained open until 1964, but is now closed, the tracks lifted and the stations gone. How this station was affected is described.

This book is one of the Lambourn Valley Railway series that looks in detail at the stations along that now closed branch line. The Lambourn Valley Railway series is part of the Stations of the Great Western Railway collection published by Bretwalda Books

About the Author
Charles D’Arvelle is a railway enthusiast who has a particular fascination with closed branch lines. He has spent many happy hours tracing the locations of closed stations, abanoned sidings and lost railway tracks. He declares it is a great way to get out and explore the British countryside.

You can BUY THE KINDLE VERSION HERE

You can BUY OTHER EBOOK FORMATS HERE

NEW BOOK - Newbury West Fields Station

Our new book Newbury West Fields Station - part of the Stations of the Great Western Railway collection - is out today.

A dedicated history of one of the more neglected stations on the Great Western Railway.

Newbury West Fields Halt is no more. There is little left on the ground to show where this railway station once stood. It stood just west of the Berkshire town of Newbury and served commuters from the housing estates in the area. Some of the older residents can still remember the trains rattling through the station and over the bridge crossing the River Kennet.

In this book we learn when Newbury West Fields was built and why. The impact the station had on the surrounding area is explained and the type of freight and passengers that used the station are explained.

The book also takes a look at the building of the Lambourn Valley Railway (LVR) on which line this station stood.

In 1905 the LVR was taken over by the GWR and the entire branch line was upgraded and brought to GWR standards. The line remained open until 1964, but is now closed, the tracks lifted and the stations gone. How this station was affected is described.

This book is one of the Lambourn Valley Railway series that looks in detail at the stations along that now closed branch line. The Lambourn Valley Railway series is part of the Stations of the Great Western Railway collection published by Bretwalda Books.

Author Chalres D'Arvelle is a railway enthusiast who has a particular fascination with closed branch lines. He has spent many happy hours tracing the locations of closed stations, abanoned sidings and lost railway tracks. He declares it is a great way to get out and explore the British countryside.

There is a FACEBOOK PAGE for this series of books. 

You can BUY THE KINDLE EDITION HERE
You can BUY EDITIONS FOR OTHER EBOOK FORMATS HERE

Review for the book "Heroes of the RAF - Guy Gibson"

Our new book about Guy Gibson VC has been reviewed on the Waterstones Website.

The review gives the book 5 stars out of 5 and begins "True Hero for all ages. I was lucky enough to get an early copy of this. The book is well designed on good quality paper with well-selected pictures placed at appropriate points in the text. The content is well written in a style which walks the tightrope between adult and children well. The author clearly knows his subject and wears his knowledge lightly and shares it generously..."


Read the review in full HERE

JP Floru talks about his ebook "What the Immigrant Saw"

First ebook sale of March 2012

Our first ebook sale of March 2012 was a UK Kindle version of "Para News" by Richard Thomas

A gripping account of the very latest developments in the esoteric worlds of conspiracy theories, Ufology, paranormal investigations and the bizarre.

Most people will have heard of UFOs, ghosts and yetis, but what about the wilder shores of the paranormal, the conspiracy theorists and down right bizarre? In this book, one of the world’s leading and most prolific paranormal bloggers takes readers on a voyage of discovery like no other ever written.

The key players are interviewed, explaining their views on the JFK assassination, the shadowy and sinister Illuminati, the influential Bilderberg Group, allegations of an incipient New World Order, cover ups and how hidden messages can be found in Hollywood movies such as Blade Runner and TV shows including the X-Files. Dean Haglund, Richard Dolan, Steve Watson, Richard Holland, Nick Pope, Timucin Leflef, Bryce Zabel, Christopher Knowles and Nick Redfern are all here.

The book takes a critical look at timeslips, ghosts, UFOs, cryptids, mind control, aliens, disinformation, black-ops, the Bermuda Triangle and a host of other paranormal phenomena.

Endorsement
“If your interests include (A) strange and ominous beasts of a type that science says cannot, and do not exist, but that cryptozoologists say otherwise; (B) weird and enigmatic outer-space conspiracies; (C) the intricacies of time-travel; (D) spooks and spectres from the other side; (E) the way in which science-fiction and science-fact often cross paths to truly astonishing degrees; and (F) and the ominous Orwellian road that our society seems to be evermore traveling down, then this is most certainly the book for you!”
– Nick Redfern, author of The Real Men in Black and Space Girl Dead on Spaghetti Junction.

About the Author
RICHARD THOMAS is a freelance feature writer specialising in Fortean subjects. Richard has written for high street magazines, including Alien Worlds Magazine, Paranormal Magazine and UFO Matrix Magazine. He is also a blogger for UFOMystic and Binnall of America. In addition to writing about the paranormal and unexplained, Richard also writes a column entitled “Big Day Out” for the South Wales Evening Post, Wales’ largest circulation newspaper. His website is at www.richardthomas.eu.