Model and minature railways

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It may seem out of place to refer to a book about model railways in Motor Sport. The fact remains that, apart from motoring being now so costly and hedged about that some may turn away from driving to indoor and modelling pursuits, many famous. racing drivers have enjoyed their model and estate railways. So we venture to refer to “Model and Miniature Railways”, which is an enormous quite outstanding book, especially in the detail depicted in its great assembly of colour pictures, and the scope of its coverage, of toy, model, and garden (or passenger-hauling) miniature railways, and subjects therewith associated, from the earliest times to the present-day. A further reason for mentioning this book is that it describes and illustrates, in full colour, many of the miniature railways that motorists may well enjoy visiting. There are 25 of these alone, here and abroad, described and depicted. The locomotive “Count Louis”, which was built for Count Zborowski’s use but which he never used, as he was killed driving for Mercedes in the 1924 Italian GP, is illustrated several times, and there are many references to Capt. Howey, who drove a Leyland-Thomas at Brooklands and big-scale trains round his estates. How the publishers have contrived to sell this 512page, 14 3/4 in. x 9 1/2 in. book, with its incredible quantity of really excellent illustrations and that superb detail in the colour pictures (in some of which, incidentally, aged motor vehicles form a background) passes comprehension, although we note that it was printed in Italy. It sells for £6.95 and the publishers are The Hamlyn Group, Astronaut House, Hounslow Road, Feltham, Middlesex, TW149AR.—W.B.