W A C ‘Bill’ Smith was a prolific photographer of steam locomotives, as well as Clyde Steamers and Trams. He travelled extensively throughout Scotland during the 1950s and 1960s recording the changes as the older pre-grouping steam classes disappeared, to be replaced by the new Standard types and even more modern diesel power. His photographs depict much of the infrastructure which was similarly being demolished, or replaced, as well as the environment through which the steam railways passed, ranging from Glasgow tenements, through to wild moorlands. Bill was also well known throughout the 1950s and 60s as the organiser of many enthusiast railtours, which covered Scotland, often featuring backwaters and lightly used branch or freight lines.
In The Steam Railway Western Scotland Bill’s images cover a wide variety of locomotives working around the west of Scotland. From graceful 4-4-0s, often in beautifully clean conditions, to the work-stained Caledonian and North British 0-6-0s, many of which, after long working lives, ended their days still carrying out the same duties for which they were designed – hauling coal trains around the unsung and little-photographed colliery and steelworks lines of Lanarkshire and Ayrshire. The workhorses of passenger traffic, LNER’s B1s, V2s and LMS Black 5s are also portrayed, as well as examples of express passenger power from both companies and the newer BR standard types. Also featured are out-of-the-public-eye industrial steam workings, along with a number of photographs taken in Dumfries & Galloway showing troop specials. Bill’s photos are brought to life with captions written by the three compilers, all of whom have first-hand experience of railway operations in Western Scotland.
159 black & white photographs. 112 pages