NEW BOOKS as reviewed by Tony Wright
THOMPSON HIS LIFE & LOCOMOTIVES, by Tim Hillier-Graves. Pen and Sword, PRICE: £35.00
dward Thompson must be one of the most-maligned of British CMEs, if most of the volumes and articles I published down the years describing his locomotive designs are to be believed. Indeed, Colonel H.C.B. Rogers in his book writes that his Pacifies must rank among the most famous locomotive failures of all time. Other notable authors have arrived at the same conclusions. In fact, the only work on Thompson which I’ve previously read which attempted to ‘justify’ Thompson’s decisions was written by Peter Grafton, with some sensitivity. A more recent comment, where the author described ET as a genius’, I’ve dismissed. So, what is one to make of this latest offering describing Edward Thompsons life and work? To begin with, it’s very well-written, extensively and diligently researched and f ‘ presents a more balanced view of the LNER’s ‘middle CME. It’s also written with some sensitivity, without attempting to draw too many critical conclusions, though how locomotives with Thompson Pacifies’ front ends could be described as clearly recognisable as Gresley engines’ (page 232) is a greater leap of faith than I’m prepared to
