One of the most curious aspects of the development of railways in Devon and Cornwall was how the London & South Western Railway came to dominate the provision of railway services over north Devon and Cornwall, serving many of the most popular holiday resorts of the area. Whilst the LSWRs acquisition of the Barnstaple line, from under the clutches of the GWR, was controversial, from this small foundation the LSWRs network extended through to provide an alternative route to Plymouth as well as reaching to places such as Bude and Bodmin. Inherited by the Southern Railway at grouping, it was under the SR that the final sections of the network were completed.
In 1948 these lines passed to BR intact but, as changing traffic patterns developed and control was ceded to the Western Region, much of the ex-LSWR network was to be closed. Its neglect and decline under the management of the Western Region led to this part of the BR network being referred to by railway enthusiasts as the Withered Arm, though the origins of this term is believed to date back to the 1930s. Michael Clemens and his father were keenly interested in railways and travelled widely throughout the United Kingdom recording the changing railway scene on film and still photography. In Steam Trails: The Withered Arm, their extensive collection of previously unpublished photographs provides a superb pictorial tribute to the final years of steam operation in the region. Including some 125 mono and colour photographs, the book covers all of the classic locations in the area such as Padstow, Wadebridge, Bude, Halwill Junction, Barnstaple and Ilfracombe.
Using previously unpublished photographs, this is the second title in a brand-new series to feature the extensive collection of Michael Clemens. Always a popular area with enthusiasts, the Withered Arm possessed a fascinating network of lines that are explored in the pages of this book. Steam Trails: The Withered Arm will appeal to all enthusiasts who know the area as well as to locals looking back fondly on a long-lost era.
Author: Michael Clemens
Title: The Withered Arm (Steam Trails)
Format: HB 80 pages
Publisher: Ian Allan Ltd
Pub date: Sep 2007
ISBN: 9780711032217
List Price: £16.99
