Anderton for Orders

[G4YVM]

I bought a few of the books I was recommended...AfO was the first to be read. Superb read! Thanks for the advice.

 

Bread Upon the Waters next!

 

 

 

David

[the grinch]

both excellent reads

 

tom foxon - no. 1 is also good

tom rolt's narrowboat isn't as good as landscape with machines/canals in my opinion but worth reading all 3 books

 

not canal related but my most favourite book is rocking the boat by ian ross tells the story of the people involved in the setting up of radio caroline and takes you up to start of transmissions in 1963/4

Edited May 6, 2012 by hamsterfan

[alan_fincher]

I'm quite fussy about books like these, but actually think the Tom Foxon trilogy are some of the best.

 

Foxon really clearly did do an awful lot of "real" boating on a massive selection of different boats. Far, far, more, I would suggest than some of the other authors recounting their experiences, (Tim Wilkinson's "Hold on a minute" springs to mind!).

 

Personally I prefer the Foxon books to the David Blagrove offerings, but I appreciate this is very much about personal taste. I will be interested to hear if you enjoy "Bread Upon The waters" as much as "Anderton For Orders".

[G4YVM]

Thanks. I'll look for Foxon's other books too.

 

I have read Narow Boat by Rolt but dint like it t all.

 

D

[Derek R.]

Several people have baulked at 'Narrow Boat', but seek out the Landscape trilogy; Landscape with Machines, Landscape with Canals, and Landscape with Figures. All three are quite brilliant, painting the industrial and social scenes of the age. His 'Red for Danger' is absorbing, and some quite good ghost stories in 'Sleep No More' - one based on the canal too. One of my favourite authors.

[carlt]

Several people have baulked at 'Narrow Boat', but seek out the Landscape trilogy; Landscape with Machines, Landscape with Canals, and Landscape with Figures....

Yes I do think it a shame that the one plugged as his magnum opus is one of his worst books.

[the grinch]

Several people have baulked at 'Narrow Boat', but seek out the Landscape trilogy; Landscape with Machines, Landscape with Canals, and Landscape with Figures. All three are quite brilliant, painting the industrial and social scenes of the age. His 'Red for Danger' is absorbing, and some quite good ghost stories in 'Sleep No More' - one based on the canal too. One of my favourite authors.

not read figures or sleep no more but read the others Red for Danger was one of my subject books for CSE english when i was at school (did railway disasters and pirate radio as my personal subjects)

[gazza]

other Rolt books worth looking out are: -

 

his biography on Brunel and Telford

 

Railway adventure, account of his time with the Talyllyn Railway

 

Green and Silver. an odd tale from the cut

 

Tools for The Job, written as promo material for industrial history.

 

He also wrote several short stories, some better than others.

 

I like most of Rolts work, but he does have a habit of going away with the fairies, and his families privaliged background pops up in his work frequently, which does not improve the quality of his writing. vis string pulling for a soft job during the war.....

 

Triology is by far the best of his works, the most intresting bits being his days as an agricultural fitter, a garage proprierter and leading light with the VMC,

 

the nasty buisness with the IWA does not get covered much, thankfuly!!

[Ray T]

Rolt also wrote "Red for Danger".

 

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Red-Danger-Classic-History-Disasters/dp/0750948078

[the grinch]

Rolt also wrote "Red for Danger".

 

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Red-Danger-Classic-History-Disasters/dp/0750948078

 

 

mentioned already in posts 5 & 7 (keep up at the back)

 

Green & Silver is his Irish waterways book (I Think!)

read Talyllyn Adventure, as well as actually worked on the line's extension up to Nant Gwernol as a volunteer all those years ago!

Edited May 14, 2012 by hamsterfan

[Carl Ryan]

I am reading Number one by Tom Foxton at present. Tom Foxton discusses a Barlaston fore-end. Does anyone know which boats had this type of fore-end. Can anyone post a picture to illustrate.

[G4YVM]

Just started Bread Upon the Waters when No 1 plopped through the letter box. I had a quick look and was gripped. Foxon's is a good author, his stuff is very readable.

D