David St John Thomas

As when considering Ian Allan, it is difficult to segregate the author from the publisher. Nevertheless, with both men the publishing grew out of authorship, and their writing/compilation skills tended to infuse their publishing excellence. In both cases the publishing began at a remarkably early age, and this precosity tended to colour their activity for a very long time. One of Thomas's greatest achievements has been The Regional History series which was begun with his own contribution on the West Country. This series has great strengths, but also suffers from inherent weaknesses, some of which could now be resolved by electronic publishing. The greatest weakness is that some areas fall on the edge of several volumes, and in consequence it is difficult to be certain that all is seen (and this also leads to duplication). Some mainlines are considered on a very divided basis - this is especially annoying for the GNR which was conceived as a coherent whole. The trunk of the Great Western is treated far more kindly. As a volume on Ireland (which is hardly in Great Britain but it was good that nobody appeared to notice this anomaly) now exists it might be appropriate to produce a general volume covering each of the mainlines with interfaces to the appropriate volumes for greater detail.

Another weakness is that for a number of reasons some of the authors selected whatever their intrinsic merits may have been were not suited to the task of what was essentially historical geography. Thus Scotland was ill-served by Thomas and London  and the South of England had the right author, but one suspects that the publisher dictated too slim a coverage. In this respect, Jackson's London's local railways is vastly superior and his work on London's termini remains essential reading. As the work on Ireland is relatively recent and some of the earlier volumes remain in print there is a need to examine what sort of work should replace it, given that much of what was described has actually been removed without trace in the flatter, agricultural or deeply industrialized parts of Britain. Furthermore, there has been some new railway development, notably but not solely in the South East. In this respect consideration might have to be given to including street tramways.

For a time the publishing house performed a remarkable service in bringing back out-of-print material back into print.

The Locomotive Studies were mainly dominated by Nock, but other writers also contributed, notably Brian Reed, J.W.P. Rowledge and Brian Webb (excellent studies of post-steam traction). There were also Locomotive Monographs (all by Nock. The "Monographs" tended to be fatter than the "Studies" and weakened the Series concept which should have had its own colophon to encourage serial purchase.

It is as a popular writer/publisher where he worked with P.B. Whitehouse that he will remain most memorable. The LNER 150, and its companions, remain excellent coffee table books to which one can return and find not only amusing paragraphs and diverting illustrations, but real bits and pieces of information, although it is perhaps indicative of decling values that these are sometimes commended as primary sources.

A regional history of the railways of Great Britain. Volume 1. The West Country. London: Phoenix House, 1960.

Thomas, G. and Thomas, D. St. J.
Double headed two generations of railway enthusiasm. Dawlish (Devon), David & Charles, 1963. 200 p. incl. 24 plates, 59 illus.
A delightful "twin" autobiographical study of father and son, their love of model railways, and the real thing and how they established David & Charles in Newton Abbot.

150 series
All were credited: Patrick. Whitehouse and David St. John Thomas, except SR 150 where the compiler/editors were reversed

The Great Western Railway: 150 glorious years. 208pp. 1984.
LMS 150: the London Midland & Scottish Railway: a century and a half of progress. 1987. 208pp.
LNER 150: the London and North Eastern Railway: a century and a half of progress. 1989. 208pp.
SR 150: a century and a half of the Southern Railway. 1988.
Excellent source for biographical material: rather more than a coffee table book, but just short of true reference book status.

2006-09-06