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We apologIse for the slight delay to despatch of design and other orders due lack of envelopes from our suppliers.

Normal service to be resumed 6\12. Thankyou

CHECK OUT OUR PUBLICATION SCHEDULE FOR 2021/2

Want to find out when your favourite is due to be published or scared of missing out on a title from the Western Chronicles collection, then please check this handy guide below for your guidance:

PLANNED FOR 2022

JANUARY 2022: D1039 WESTERN KING AND D1071 WESTERN RENOWN

MARCH 2022: D1055 WESTERN ADVOCATE AND D1041 WESTERN PRINCE

APRIL 2022: D1027 WESTERN LANCER AND D1036 WESTERN EMPEROR

MAY 2022: D1032 WESTERN MARKSMAN AND D1043 WESTERN DUKE

JULY 2022: D1010 WESTERN CAMPAIGNER AND D1029 WESTERN LEGIONNAIRE

AUGUST 2022: D1012 WESTERN FIREBRAND AND D1049 WESTERN MONARCH

OCTOBER 2022: D1013 WESTERN RANGER AND D1068 WESTERN RELIANCE

DECEMBER 2022: D1011 WESTERN THUNDERER AND D1056 WESTERN SULTAN

BRINGING THE TOTAL AT END OF 2022 TO 39 LOCOS

CHRONICLE TITLES ALREADY PUBLISHED (23):

SWINDON-BUILT (14): D1000; D1001; D1002; D1003; D1004; D1005; D1006; D1007; D1008; D1009; D1017; D1018; D1019; D1020 (D1017-20 four books in one).

CREWE-BUILT (9): D1030; D1035; D1037; D1040; D1046; D1047; D1048; D1052 and D1066

PLUS WESTERN RUNDOWN (OUT OF PRINT) AND RHAPSODY IN BLUE; SPECIALS!, WESTERNS VOL 3; WESTERN LIVERIES; WESTERN DESIGN

PLEASE READ FIRST

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• The quickest way to find out the status of a book you are interested in is look at the wording under each title below. It will give you an at-a-glance guide as to what’s in stock and what has been published so far. Therefore, if you then wish to buy the book you are interested in, and it has been published or is in stock, just click on the cover and it will take you to the title in Track Record Press Shop. We still get calls asking when a title will be back in stock when it hasn’t been published yet. This is because people have gone straight to the shop. So, it is best to use the covers below to discover the latest situation regarding every title. Thank you.

• Just a note also to reassure customers that ALL our despatched books are tracked by Royal Mail’s excellent system. (All our book prices now include postage and packaging). All orders despatched within seven working days.

• PLEASE note we have no facilities to take credit card payments over the phone due to the associated costs involved.

THE WESTERN CHRONICLES - A FEW PAGE EXAMPLES…

WHAT THE RAILWAY PRESS SAY…

WESTERN CHRONICLES SERIES: D1000 AND D1001: “THE author has immense knowledge about the ‘western’ diesel-hydraulic locomotives that worked on the Western Region of BR from 1961 to the late 70s, and his own publishing company has embarked on an impressively ambitious project to document the life and times of each of the 74 class members within its own book. This kind of book is very much a departure from normal publications that would cover the class in a single extensive volume, but this is a series that will evolve into a comprehensive work of reference, covering what was a very popular class of locomotive and will allow any number of volumes to be bought, depending on which were your favourites. Full marks to the author for devising a new concept.”

D1000 WESTERN ENTERPRISE: “THE author has embarked on an ambitious, but worthy, project to detail the life and times of all 74 Class 52 ‘Westerns’ - each in their own self-contained book. The ‘Westerns’ were, of course, one of the most popular types of diesel loco ever to run in this country - but nothing like this has been attempted before and the series should add up an impressive piece of work.”

RHAPSODY IN BLUE REVIEW BY BRM, SEPTEMBER 2021 ISSUE: “IF ever a man knew (or knows) everything worth knowing about the WR hydraulics, then it is Adrian Curtis. It certainly is comprehensive as it relates to the painting regime undertaken by Laira (Plymouth) Depot on most of BR’s ‘Western Class 52 diesel-hydraulics between 1972 and 1976. Not all the 74-strong class made the Laira repaints - a dozen avoided them, and these are listed in the final chapter of this 16-page volume. All the ones which did are given at least a page to themselves (some, more). The (almost all-colour) photographs show the locomotives in just about every condition sported by their blue livery. Some will provide inspiration for some really serious weathering! Produced on good quality stock, the photographs have reproduced well. A comprehensive account is written for every class member illustrated, including any embellishments applied. The research needed to get all these details right must have been incredible, though not unexpected given the author’s pedigree in these matters. Obviously, for anyone contemplating the making of models of the class, this work will be an invaluable resource, particularly if depicting the locomotives’ final years. I found the time rather depressing for the class because, even with repaints, prior to that some individuals were incredibly shabby - was this to do with Laira’s cleaning regime? The contemporary ‘Deltics', although at times very dirty, never displayed the flayed off paint effect seen on the last of the hydraulics. I have to say (as with most other classes), I preferred the ‘Westerns’ in their original liveries, and there must be a book out there showing these. I found this account very interesting, if rather lugubrious towards the end of the locomotives’ lives.”

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

WHAT LEADING ACADEMICS & AUTHORS SAY:

• PROFESSOR DUGALD CAMERON OBE, (November 2019) “Great reading your Western Series of books. You have provided a real insight into the design story and a real history of BR design at that time.”

• RESPECTED AND LEADING AUTHOR KEVIN ROBERTSON, BLUE PULLMAN, KESTREL RAILWAY BOOKS, 2005: “Adrian Curtis, whose own work on recording the history of BR diesel classes, has set new standards.”

• CHRIS CHAPMAN, AUTHOR, WESTERN GLORY, KINGFISHER PRODUCTIONS, 2002: “Adrian Curtis, author of Cast of Thousands proved unfailingly helpful in filling in much of the hitherto missing detail about these images.”

• RICHARD HARPER, AUTHOR, ANY COLOUR YOU LIKE, 2019: “Adrian Curtis has built up an unrivalled catalogue of books about the iconic ‘Western’ Class. Drawing on comprehensive research and his own experiences chasing the class, his books are well written, richly illustrated and informative.”

WHAT OUR VALUED CUSTOMERS SAY…

• JUDY WARDELL: Excellent books very detailed and informative well illustrated with many colour and black and white photographs also many interesting diagrams just contains everything you need to know about these wonderful locomotives a must for Western enthusiasts. Excellent customer service when ordering or if you ask a question. I cannot wait for the next book.

• DAVID DIEGNAN: Just been reading my copy of D1040, wow loads of interesting things to read, the accident when she was barely a year old, don’t want to put it down! Look forward to the next releases, a must read for the Western devotees.

• IAN STORR: The books are superb quality and very informative. Great ordering and postal service too, they've always arrived within a couple of days of ordering. *

• GARETH JONES: Good quality information and books full of detail which is a must for Diesel-Hydraulic followers.

• BRIAN LITHERLAND: Excellent! The books are very well written and illustrated by the author. Very factual and informative. Looking forward to the latest additions to the collection of books when they are published.

• STEPHEN KELL: Just received the first two books Westerns volume 1 & 2 Crewe and Swindon built locos superb books just can't put them down can't wait to order the next books from Track Record Press.

• BRIAN RUDMAN: I look forward to every new release, and have never been disappointed by the quality of writing and illustrations.

• RICHARD LEGG (Westerns Volume 3): I've been waiting for a book like this for nearly 40 years. Fantastic research and photographs. Well done and thanks to Adrian, his colleagues and contributors that made it possible.

• ALAN BYRNE: Just thought I'd drop you a line to say how impressed I was with the books that I have just received; I love the size of the Chronicle series, as it makes them easier to collect, file, and find again as a ready-rec, and all for such a good price! So well done to you and the team!

• STEVE YOUNG: Adrian you are such a great ambassador, I feel so blessed to meet you. Please keep up the great work.

TRACK RECORD PRESS: INDEPENDENT RAILWAY BOOK PUBLISHERS

Independent railway book publishers, Track Record Press, was formed in 2018 by Western Region Class 52 diesel-hydraulic locomotive author, researcher and historian, Adrian Curtis.

He was accompanied is this project by a number of like-minded enthusiasts who, during the course of their 42-year journey, formed the Western Locomotive Research Society, membership of which is by invitation only.

They have worked tirelessly to produce the most comprehensive insight into the working lives of the 74-strong fleet, which is available to visitors of this website as a free resource. Accompanying this is a groundbreaking publishing venture, the Western Chronicles which deals with the history of everything associated with the fleet in individual locomotive books.

These are available to purchase from this website. Adrian has enjoyed a varied career in journalism spanning 37 years, including working as a sports reporter for the London Evening Standard, Mail on Sunday and the Press Association and the triple award-winning Cambridge Independent. He has also worked for now defunct national magazines Joblink and Money Monthly, as well as the Scunthorpe Star, Angling Times, Match and Shoot football magazines, Lincolnshire Echo and Grantham Target. He has been a member of the National Union of Journalists for almost 30 years and is also a member of the Society of Authors, having written 20 books on the subject of the Class 52s since his first work on the fleet, Western Anthology, was published by F&W Publishing in 1978.

Some of his work is available to peruse in the British Library and the National Railway Museum. He was also on the founding committee of the Western Locomotive Association in 1974 which went on to preserve D1062 Western Courier, which along with their other engine, D1013 Western Ranger, is still working today on the Severn Valley Railway. He remains a member of the association to this day and awaits his gold clock in recognition. A lifelong supporter of both Tottenham and Lincoln City, Adrian lives in Midlands with long suffering wife Christine, and son Samuel, both of who are also in the media industry.

THE HOME OF THE ACCLAIMED WESTERN GEN

This new railway publishing venture aims to provide profiles on locomotive classes, chiefly the Western Region diesel-hydraulics as well as offering visitors to this website a FREE database resource of Class 52 information, locomotive by locomotive.

The 74 Western Class 52 locomotives that ran on the Western Region of British Railways between 1961 until the withdrawal of the final four in February, 1977, provide the main focus for this database, concentrating as it does on the work of all 74 engines chiefly between the years 1973-77.

This database has been collated from BR documents in the public domain and sightings from enthusiasts throughout the aforementioned years.

With the help of the Western Locomotive Research Society, the site aims to continue to collate information for the database and welcomes input from enthusiasts and groups via the email contact details on this website.

We hope this database will provide enthusiasts and historians as well as photographers with an insight into the lives of the fleet during 1973-77 and in the case of photography, help provide photographers with the relevant background information for their captions. If publishers or enthusiasts wish to use any content in this area, either on forums or elsewhere, please do ask for permission, it is only polite and respectful and will all those that do so, please credit the website in any work used outside of this domain. This can only help increase more possible workings for the database. If you wish to take advantage of the Gen, please fill in the form contained on the Western Gen page.

Agents for Adrian Curtis: Solario Management, Legal and PR

Adrian Curtis is available for talks on the Westerns and is featured here: http://www.diannemannering.co.uk/

Adrian Curtis is a member of the following professional bodies:

© Track Record Press (2021): Independent Railway Book Publishers

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