Old Railway Books for download

[IanT]

I recently noticed on another Forum (sorry cannot remember where off-hand) a link to this site;

http://www.archive.org/details/railwaysignallin00wilsrich

Essentially this site has 'scans' of old (out of copyright) books - such as this one on automatic railway signalling. However, it is fairly simple to search by title, author or 'key words'. I was interested because I knew that photo of the Tweedale & Smalley loco came from a book by Rankin Kennedy called "Electrical Installations...Volume 3 1903"

I found the book but was very disappointed to find that I could only search for 'key' words and see small chunks of text. Indeed, I found the reference to the loco and the fact that it had 43" wheels (very useful) but try as I might I could not see the rest of the page or any associated photos. This seems to be a Google policy with respect to this site, as other "Sponsors" allow online reading and download in various formats - including complete PDF's of the book. Unfortunately, sponsors don't duplicate titles, so if Google has scanned a book, others probably have not. In this sense, Google have spoiled a really great idea as far as I'm concerned, as I cannot look at the 'title' I really wanted to see.

However, I spent a few happy hours searching for known (long deceased) UK & American authors - such as Fred Colvin - and down loading old books - mainly technical/"Kinks" Machine Shop stuff to be honest. The trick is to list titles and ignore any with the Google logo. Most of the others show the front title page and can be read/pre-viewed online and are downloadable. There is a huge resource here for anyone with some spare time and lots of patience.

One tip by the way - I found it useful to use the online reader and check the book's 'Index' pages. You can then use the reader to 'jump' to that page directly. Really speeds things up. If you find something you want, then you can download the PDF and it is then easy to print the specific pages that you are interested in (or the whole book if that takes your fancy!)

Enjoy!

[IanT]

Oh, and I nearly forgot, here's one for 'Cabbage' (it's by Henry Greenly Ralph!)

http://www.archive.org/details/modellocomotive00greegoog

Very frustrating

It's been scanned by Google, so no PDF download but at least you can read this one online if you so wish (& I've not got this particular volume in my collection - Ralph?).

A 'reviewer' also points out that they didn't scan the drawings in the back folder - great pity but the rest is still very readable.

Regards,

Ian T

[MikeWilliams]

Ralph could buy the original from TEE Publishing:

http://www.teepublishing.co.uk/high-value-book-list.pdf

Mike

[MikeWilliams]

Ian,

Maybe the book you want is "Electrical Installations of Electric Light, Power, Traction and Industrial Electrical Machinery "?  Seems it has been reprinted in USA and readily available in paperback from £12.  Need to check that all the plates have been reproduced though.

Mike

[MikeWilliams]

Ian,

At last - found it.

Dereks Transport Books of Ringwood have Volume 3 of the 4 volume set for sale at £25.

Book Description: Caxton Publishing., London, 1902. Hard Cover. Book Condition: Very Good. 4to - over 9¾" - 12" tall. 212pp. 890g. Volume 3 of a 4 volume set. subtitled ` The production of electrical energy, prime movers, generators and motors.' Fully illustrated with engravings and line drawings. Dark green cloth boards with lettering and designs in gilt and black. Boards a little rubbed and marked. Internally endpapers a little browned, and a few pages a little spotted o/w contents are tight and clean. V.G. A fascinating look at the electrical generating industry of a hundred years ago. Bookseller Inventory # 3174

OK, so its a lot of money for one photo and (maybe) a short caption, but I'm sure the book would keep you amused fror hours!  And its an investment . . . ?

Mike

[IanT]

Well the Greenly book is 45 quid - but I've noticed that on the 'Online Reader' page - I can print the page I am viewing quite simply. In fact I've just "printed" one or two of the diagrams that interested me straight to a PDF file (using a public domain PDF Print routine - Cutewriter).

I think I'll keep my pennies for something else - unless I find it for a 'fiver' somewhere, that's more my price range...   

Regards,

Ian

[IanT]

Just seen your last post Mike.

Of course I could just drive down to Ringwood and have a leaf through Derek's book...

Let's see that's about 160 miles round trip at about 26.7 mpg in the Alfa (sorry guys purchased her before I knew the End of the World was nigh!) - at about 1.16 per litre - Mmmmn - just over 30 quid in fuel!

Maybe I won't after all!   

[cabbage]

Thank you very much!!!

£14.26p from "The Book Depository" plus P&P -it should be on my book shelf before I get back to the UK. Since quite a few of these books are out of print and hence copyright -downloading is simple and a DVD "book shelf" holds a lot. Another source of income for the Society?

I now have to wait until Friday Evening to read my new book. I know that I could download it to my iPad and read it there but I much prefer to have it in my hands. It also keeps temptation at bay... I never mix work and play!!!

Excuse me I have to catch a plane..

regards

ralph

[bambuko]

...It's been scanned by Google, so no PDF download...

well not quite 
simply click on:
All files:HTTP
which gets you to:
http://ia700303.us.archive.org/30/items/modellocomotive00greegoog/
and than simply select:
http://ia700303.us.archive.org/30/items/modellocomotive00greegoog/modellocomotive00greegoog.pdf
and Bob (or Greenly) is your uncle 
Chris

[IanT]

Which worked exactly as described.

Some interesting reading for my laptop

Thanks Chris.