NEW BOOKS as reviewed by Tony Wright
PEPPERCORN HIS LIFE & LOCOMOTIVES, by Tim Hillier-Graves. Pen and Sword. PRICE: £40.00
his is the third volume in a series by the author describing the life and works of the three LNER CMEs. It completes the trilogy and complements the other two perfectly. As with the others, it’s well-written, well-researched and a ripping read. It’s not a book to be easily put down, even as slumber approaches. The sons of clergymen appear to be fascinated by railways in all forms, and Peppercorn was no exception. That said, his elder male siblings followed their father into the ministry, but the younger AHP set his heart on a career in railway engineering. And, as told so well in this excellent book, his career was extremely successful. Throughout the seven chapters, the life and work of Peppercorn is revealed as that of a man of great integrity, modesty, humility and with a care for his fellow man. He rose through the ranks on merit. The work is lavishly-illustrated throughout, with many photographs (almost all B&W), drawings, tables and data. To model-makers everywhere, it’s an invaluable resource; and not just for those who follow the LNER and its successors, for there is a very interesting chapter on American practice post-War, where Peppercorn witnessed the great work of the
