Fry, Eric
Description
This is Volume 6. The original parts, and publications dates, were:
Volume 1 contains: Part 1 (1963) Preliminary Survey Volume 2 covers Tender Engine
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s: Part 2A (1973) Classes A1 to A10 Part 2B (1975) Classes B1 to B19 Volume 3 covers Tender Engines: Part 3A (1979) Classes C1 to C11 Part 3B (1980) Classes D1 to D12 Part 3C (1981) Classes D13 to D24 Volume 4 & 5 covers Tender Engines: Part 4 (1968) Classes D25 to E7 Part 5 (1966) Classes J1 to J37 Volume 6 covers Tender Engines: Part 6A (1982) Classes J38 to K5 Part 6B (1983) Classes O1 to P2 Part 6C (1984) Classes Q1 to Y10 Volume 7 & 8 covers Tank Engines: Part 7 (1964) Classes A5 to H2 Part 8A (1970) Classes J50 to J70 Part 8B (1971) Classes J71 to J94 Volume 9 covers Tank Engines: Part 9A (1977) Classes L1 to N19 Part 9B (1977) Classes Q1 to Z5 Volume 10 contains: Part 10A (1988) Departmental Stock, Locomotive Sheds, Boiler and Tender Numbering Part 10B (1990) Railcars and Electric Stock. Series origins
The LNER existed between 1923 and 1947. It was formed in the aftermath of the 1914-18 War by grouping seven leading companies that operated railways along the eastern side of the island of Great Britain. The centenary of its creation is 2023.
Locomotives of the L.N.E.R. was a unique voluntary endeavour by a team of researchers and writers under the dedicated leadership of Eric Fry. At the time Part 1 was published in 1963 as the Preliminary Survey, there were still a few ex-LNER engines in operational service. It was envisaged that 10 volumes would be sufficient to complete the series:
“Within the compass of these ten volumes an attempt will be made to describe in detail the history of the 10,000 or so locomotives owned at one time or another by the L.N.E.R. and the work they have done. The articles on individual locomotive classes will be on a uniform basis covering the full history of all engines, including details of origin, leading dimensions, dates of construction, rebuilding and withdrawal of each engine, together with sections covering detail variations, classification, engine diagrams and allocation and work. Photographs of each class and variations will be included.
For a number of reasons, the parts will not be published in a numerical sequence but a complete numerical index will appear in Part 10.”
19 parts later, the series was completed in 1994. Some parts sold in their thousands and were reprinted often, but all had progressively gone out of print.
Republication
The story of LNER locomotives is far from over. Several were saved into preservation and continue to provide opportunities to see and be hauled by them. More recently, extinct LNER classes have been revived by bringing new-build engines such as Peppercorn Class A1 60163 Tornado into service. A new generation of volunteers is being attracted to several projects.
The RCTS is relaunching the series to a new audience to coincide with the centenary of the Grouping. Although much has happened since original publication with the heritage and new-build scene, the Society has chosen to re-issue the content as it was originally published. What was originally a part-work that people collected as new books were published is being re-issued simultaneously. A book of errata that was published as Part 11 to complete the series is redistributed across the appropriate volumes.
High quality scans have been taken of the text and images, but it has not been possible to achieve modern production standards through solely using original material. Page numbering is taken from the original and resets within those volumes comprising multiple parts.
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