Books by Allen Jackson

Provides a step-by-step account of the construction, from scratch, of a model railway called Dovedale. This book covers layout planning and construction, controllers, point motors, power supply, cables and connectors, ways of operating traffic flows, signalling, track droppers, control panels and wiring, control and interlocking, and more.

This book is about one ordinary person's efforts, largely carried out single-handedly and with limited funds, to build a model railway layout in his garden that runs just like the real thing. It is based on Brymbo in North Wales, where the GWR and LNER were joined by the LMS in the search for mineral wealth. Allen Jackson's recreation runs between three sheds and features empty and loaded coal trains travelling from colliery to steelworks; pickup goods; branch passenger and excursion traffic; and even its very own CCTV and system to aid signalling. Packed with wonderful illustrations including photographs and layout diagrams, this book is a wonderful tribute to a lifetime's hobby and will delight railway modellers both young and old.

Richly illustrated with more than 200 photographs, Great Western Railway Stars, Castles and Kings examines the history and workings of these legendary classes of passenger steam locomotives, the first of which, the North Star, was built in 1906. The book includes illustrated explanations of how Great Western Railway steam engines work, and gives details of the engines'' work on named expresses and in ordinary service. An overview of the survivors, heritage organizations and their futures is included. Technical specifications and timelines of each class are given, as are GWR and British Rail Motive Power Depot codes and train head codes.

Provides a record of the last operational mechanical signalling and infrastructure on Britain's railway network as it was applied to the former Great Western Railway. This book also includes a comprehensive explanation of what mechanical signalling is and how it works.

Illustrated with over 400 contemporary images and with detailed information form a 2003-2014 survey, this book is suitable for anyone with an interest in the traditional signalling systems of railways in Britain.

For over 150 years Britain's railways have relied on a system of semaphore signalling, but by 2020, all semaphore signals and lineside signal boxes will be gone. This book provides a pictorial record of the last operational signalling and infrastructure on Britain's railway network, as it applied to the former London, Midland and Scottish Railway.