Historic railway Window Gazer guides - which route guides existed

[WesternLancer]

Hi all - just occurs to me to ask here in case people know of any I've not found

Hoping people know what I mean by these - essentially I'm interested in guides to what you could see from the train published by railway companies (as opposed to various books that are similar and which have been published commercially). More of a book or booklet type of thing rather than just a line guide leaflet is what I have in mind.

I'm mainly interested in pre nationalisation publications of the sort concerned.

It's easiest to illustrate these with links to examples showing their attractive covers etc - so hope that is ok - they are mostly easy to find on the likes of e bay etc

Here's a list of ones I'm aware of:

LMS
May have produced the most such things - a series of 5 route books (covers vary over different publication dates I think) - link below shows 3 of the 5 which are:

1) Euston Holyhead - (The Track of the Irish Mail')
2) Euston - Liverpool ('Along the Viking Border')
3) Euston - Carlisle ('The Track of the Royal Scot - Part 1')
4) Carlisle - Glasgow ('The Track of the Royal Scot - Part 2')
5) St Pancras - Manchester ('The Track of the Peak Express)

examples shown here:

https://onlineshop.oxfam.org.uk/job-lot-lms-route-book/product/HD_303777560?sku=HD_303777560

LNER

1 route guide (again examples on line show different covers so presumably different editions over time)

'On Either Side'
"A guide to features of interest to be seen from the train from Kings Cross to Scotland and Edinburgh to Fort William / Inverness & Aberdeen"

- https://buttes-chaumont.blogspot.com/2008/06/on-either-side.html

GWR
'Through the Window' guides - of which I have found three two

- Paddington to Birkenhead - 1925

Not seen one of these for sale but selected pages of the whole thing are scanned here:

Through the Window - Paddington to Birkenhead

- Paddington to Penzance - 1924

June 2021 - STEAM - Museum of the Great Western Railway

www.steam-museum.org.uk

- Paddington to Killarney - 1926
as seen here

Through the Window

GWR publications - 'Through the Window' books and booklets

culhamticketoffice.co.uk

SR
Not found any by the SR - did they do any?
'The Atlantic Coast Express' by SPB Mais, 1937

Pictured here

Southern Railway Publicity Publications

Graham Muz provides information on Southern Railway publications

sremg.org.uk

Virgin Trains Booklets
fast forward to the 1990s and Virgin Trains did a nice set of these for their routes post privatisation - I have a set of them from when they were published. Pocket sized booklets
Only found a cover pic of one of the series as an example. I think there may have been about 5 booklets

Virgin Trains Windowgazer Guide: Route VT 3 Livpl/Manctr - Brighton & Portsmouth • £2.49

VIRGIN TRAINS WINDOWGAZER Guide: Route VT 3 Livpl/Manctr - Brighton & Portsmouth - £2.49. FOR SALE! 201811871781

picclick.co.uk

Mile by Mile by S N Pike
Outside my scope as not published by the railway companies I don't think - but these are very much in a similar style
eg as below but also for LNER, LMS, SR

MILE BY MILE ON THE LMS Written By S.N. Pike, STOCK CODE: 1819964

MILE BY MILE ON THE LMS written by S.N. Pike published by Silver Link Publishing (STOCK CODE: 1819964) for sale by Stella & Rose's Books

www.stellabooks.com

These have been reprinted in recent years (link is to a 1988 reprint) and there is a book that's a collected set published not so long ago which I have (including GWR routes written subsequently but not by S N Pike)

So, whilst all info gratefully received - my questions are:

a) are there any others that people know of? eg other routes not listed above
b) did BR ever do any (perhaps rebranded reprints of the pre nationalisation ones listed above or newer versions later on)?
c) were any done by the pre grouping companies?

Thanks in advance!

EDIT
This link shows the GWR ones above but also 2 BR(WR) 4 page booklets 'Features of Interest en Route' from c1959

- The Cornish Riviera
- The Torbay Express
- Through Western Windows - Paddington to Penzance including the Torbay Line (a combination of the above published later on - 1960 is stated)

Through the Window

GWR publications - 'Through the Window' books and booklets

culhamticketoffice.co.uk

 

[The Pelican]

I vauguely remember a 1930s guide book about the Festiniog which described the sections of the line. I think it used the "Toy train" phrase also seen on a timetabkle of the time. Here is a 1935 article on a similar theme: http://mikes.railhistory.railfan.net/r015.html

 

[Rescars]

Did S N Pike produce a GWR Mile by Mile? I have seen a 2011 combined edition, though the GWR chapter is all new work faithfully reproducing the original style.

 

[WesternLancer]

I vauguely remember a 1930s guide book about the Festiniog which described the sections of the line. I think it used the "Toy train" phrase also seen on a timetabkle of the time. Here is a 1935 article on a similar theme: http://mikes.railhistory.railfan.net/r015.html

Thanks - interesting!

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 28 Apr 2026 ==

Did S N Pike produce a GWR Mile by Mile? I have seen a 2011 combined edition, though the GWR chapter is all new work faithfully reproducing the original style.

Ah yes, you may be correct - I didn't check my copy of the combined edition before posting and had it in my mind that it was the SR sections that were faithful reproductions - when I bet you are correct and it is actually the GWR part, I've changed my original post and thanks for spotting that.

An online synopsis of a 2017 edition on google books makes your point:

Mile by Mile faithfully reproduces the three original route maps drafted in 1947 by S.N. Pike, and adds a new one for the Great Western Railway to complete its coverage of the so-called ‘Big Four’ railway firms formed in the aftermath of the First World War.

 

[Belperpete]

I have a feeling that ones were produced for the Cambrian and Heart of Wales lines in more recent times?

 

[WesternLancer]

I have a feeling that ones were produced for the Cambrian and Heart of Wales lines in more recent times?

Interesting. Was that by the Wales TOC?

Actually surprising the original GWR didn’t do one for wales route. Eg Paddington to Fishguard perhaps.

The GWR Paddington to Birkenhead example must be rare. Only one I found on sale now was from USA. Whereas the other guides I listed are easy to find at modest prices on e bay.

 

[westernpunk]

Hi all - just occurs to me to ask here in case people know of any I've not found

Hoping people know what I mean by these - essentially I'm interested in guides to what you could see from the train published by railway companies (as opposed to various books that are similar and which have been published commercially). More of a book or booklet type of thing rather than just a line guide leaflet is what I have in mind.

I'm mainly interested in pre nationalisation publications of the sort concerned.

It's easiest to illustrate these with links to examples showing their attractive covers etc - so hope that is ok - they are mostly easy to find on the likes of e bay etc

Here's a list of ones I'm aware of:

LMS
May have produced the most such things - a series of 5 route books (covers vary over different publication dates I think) - link below shows 3 of the 5 which are:

1) Euston Holyhead - (The Track of the Irish Mail')
2) Euston - Liverpool ('Along the Viking Border')
3) Euston - Carlisle ('The Track of the Royal Scot - Part 1')
4) Carlisle - Glasgow ('The Track of the Royal Scot - Part 2')
5) St Pancras - Manchester ('The Track of the Peak Express)

examples shown here:

https://onlineshop.oxfam.org.uk/job-lot-lms-route-book/product/HD_303777560?sku=HD_303777560

LNER

1 route guide (again examples on line show different covers so presumably different editions over time)

'On Either Side'
"A guide to features of interest to be seen from the train from Kings Cross to Scotland and Edinburgh to Fort William / Inverness & Aberdeen"

- https://buttes-chaumont.blogspot.com/2008/06/on-either-side.html

GWR
'Through the Window' guides - of which I have found two

- Paddington to Birkenhead

Not seen one of these for sale but the whole thing is scanned here:

Through the Window - Paddington to Birkenhead

- Paddington to Penzance

June 2021 - STEAM - Museum of the Great Western Railway

www.steam-museum.org.uk

SR
Not found any by the SR - did they do any?

Virgin Trains Booklets
fast forward to the 1990s and Virgin Trains did a nice set of these for their routes post privatisation - I have a set of them from when they were published. Pocket sized booklets
Only found a cover pic of one of the series as an example. I think there may have been about 5 booklets

Virgin Trains Windowgazer Guide: Route VT 3 Livpl/Manctr - Brighton & Portsmouth • £2.49

VIRGIN TRAINS WINDOWGAZER Guide: Route VT 3 Livpl/Manctr - Brighton & Portsmouth - £2.49. FOR SALE! 201811871781

picclick.co.uk

Mile by Mile by S N Pike
Outside my scope as not published by the railway companies I don't think - but these are very much in a similar style
eg as below but also for LNER, LMS etc

MILE BY MILE ON THE LMS Written By S.N. Pike, STOCK CODE: 1819964

MILE BY MILE ON THE LMS written by S.N. Pike published by Silver Link Publishing (STOCK CODE: 1819964) for sale by Stella & Rose's Books

www.stellabooks.com

These have been reprinted in recent years (link is to a 1988 reprint) and their is a book that's a collected set published not so long ago which I have

So, whilst all info gratefully received - my questions are:

a) are there any others that people know of? eg other routes not listed above
b) did BR ever do any (perhaps rebranded reprints of the pre nationalisation ones listed above or newer versions later on)?
c) were any done by the pre grouping companies?

Thanks in advance!

theres one for the ACE

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/306419977901

The Atlantic Coast Express by S.P.B. Mais: Soft cover (1937) 1st Edition | London Rare Books

1st Edition - Soft cover - Southern Railway Company - 1937 - Condition: Good - Mais, S.P.B., The Atlantic Coast Express, Southern Railway Company (1937). First Edition. Soft covers ring bound with white plastic, acetate window visible through cutout front cover, with full page illustration seen...

www.abebooks.co.uk

 

[Sir Felix Pole]

SR
Not found any by the SR - did they do any?

Outside your scope, but S.N. Pike did a 'Mile by Mile' series for the Southern and in a very similar style to the company ones. I have the 'SR: Waterloo Edition' (1947) which includes the Pompey Direct, Weymouth, Plymouth and Ilfracombe.

 

[WesternLancer]

theres one for the ACE

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/306419977901

The Atlantic Coast Express by S.P.B. Mais: Soft cover (1937) 1st Edition | London Rare Books

1st Edition - Soft cover - Southern Railway Company - 1937 - Condition: Good - Mais, S.P.B., The Atlantic Coast Express, Southern Railway Company (1937). First Edition. Soft covers ring bound with white plastic, acetate window visible through cutout front cover, with full page illustration seen...

www.abebooks.co.uk

Thanks - that's a great find! Much appreciated
Sadly copies currently on sale a bit outside my price range....but that was a good link

I've amended my opening post to include it.

SPB Mais wrote a lot of general travel guides for SR and GWR I think, so interesting he was commissioned for this one - I believe he was a noted travel writer, and I see the illustrations are from a famous artist of the period Anna Zinkeisen - who did some of the murals on the RMS Queen Mary I understand.

Some interesting page scans here too:

Southern Railway Publicity Publications

Graham Muz provides information on Southern Railway publications

sremg.org.uk

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 29 Apr 2026 ==

Outside your scope, but S.N. Pike did a 'Mile by Mile' series for the Southern and in a very similar style to the company ones. I have the 'SR: Waterloo Edition' (1947) which includes the Pompey Direct, Weymouth, Plymouth and Ilfracombe.

Thanks - yes the SR routes are in the collated set published in modern times I believe.

 

[Belperpete]

Actually surprising the original GWR didn’t do one for wales route. Eg Paddington to Fishguard perhaps.

The GWR Paddington to Birkenhead example must be rare. Only one I found on sale now was from USA. Whereas the other guides I listed are easy to find at modest prices on e bay.

Patrick Stephens Ltd reprinted some of the books that the GWR published. My copy of "The 1030 Limited", originally published in 1923, has an ad for "Through the Window" number one: Paddington to Penzance (the Cornish Riviera Route). "A Publication to Grace the Library". Also an ad for the "Legendland" series of four booklets - "a collection of Old Tales told in those parts of Britain served by the GWR", including the Mermaid of Zennor, the Lady of Llyn-y-FanFach, The Furry Day Song, etc.

Later books have ads for various other GWR books, but no "Through the Window" series. If the Penzance book, or the subsequent Birkenhead book, had disappointing sales, perhaps they discontinued the series?

 

[WesternLancer]

Patrick Stephens Ltd reprinted some of the books that the GWR published. My copy of "The 1030 Limited", originally published in 1923, has an ad for "Through the Window" number one: Paddington to Penzance (the Cornish Riviera Route). "A Publication to Grace the Library". Also an ad for the "Legendland" series of four booklets - "a collection of Old Tales told in those parts of Britain served by the GWR", including the Mermaid of Zennor, the Lady of Llyn-y-FanFach, The Furry Day Song, etc.

Later books have ads for various other GWR books, but no "Through the Window" series. If the Penzance book, or the subsequent Birkenhead book, had disappointing sales, perhaps they discontinued the series?

Thanks for those observations

Yes, maybe ref the Through the Window series - I think given the number of old copies of the Penzance one still available quite a few must have been sold, but maybe the sales of the Birkenhead version were low (clearly more scarce now if an online search of titles for sale is any guide) so others were not commissioned.

The GWR was pretty active in the publishing field I think with a variety of other books and guides produced about their services, loco fleet, county guidebooks, rambling books of walks in areas they served, as well as the rather fancy hardback books about castles, abbeys etc etc.

And of course Ian Allan worked for the SR's publicity department which presumably had their publications within the departmental remit.

 

[midland1]

The London to Manchester book was called " The Track of the Twenty-Fives". Also the LMS did "The Track Of The Coronation Scot" and the LNER did a Coronation book but this was more about the train.







































2

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 30 Apr 2026 ==

Sorry about the big space above something went wrong

 

[WesternLancer]

The London to Manchester book was called " The Track of the Twenty-Fives".

Thanks, that’s not the title on the cover of the one I linked the picture of for the London to Manchester book by the LMS but it looks like it’s an earlier version of the same booklet albeit with a different title.

Or is there another different one?

Also the LMS did "The Track Of The Coronation Scot"

Thank you. I’d forgotten about that one. Example here.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/235458055901

but there is also one called 'The Track of the Royal Scot' in the same style (streamlined loco on cover) but artwork in red not blue. I'll have to check how that differs from the booklet I linked above

and the LNER did a Coronation book but this was more about the train

 

[midland1]

Thanks, that’s not the title on the cover of the one I linked the picture of for the London to Manchester book by the LMS but it looks like it’s an earlier version of the same booklet albeit with a different title.

Or is there another different one?


Thank you. I’d forgotten about that one. Example here.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/235458055901

but there is also one called 'The Track of the Royal Scot' in the same style (streamlined loco on cover) but artwork in red not blue. I'll have to check how that differs from the booklet I linked above

The Manchester book you show is the post war one. the pre war one is called the " The track of the 25's", that being the time of departure from St Pancras. £75 for that Coronation book mine cost me £6.

 

[WesternLancer]

The Manchester book you show is the post war one. the pre war one is called the " The track of the 25's", that being the time of departure from St Pancras.

Thanks - yes, looks like they republished the set post war but that one had a name change, I'd not noticed that before so appreciate your info - other pre war editions seem to have the same name - eg 'Along the Viking Border'

£75 for that Coronation book mine cost me £6.

Yes, I noticed that - well it's an 'asking price'.....wonder how long it will remain unsold for

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 1 May 2026 ==

The Manchester book you show is the post war one. the pre war one is called the " The track of the 25's", that being the time of departure from St Pancras. £75 for that Coronation book mine cost me £6.

so done some comparisons on the LMS ones in as much as I could (pages scanned on e-bay for buyers to look at)
The Track of the Coronation & The Track of the Royal Scot with blue and red covers is basically the line guide map / linear plan with a short written intro on the trains concerned and the route. More of a 'pocket guide' as it were.

The Royal Scot version has an added leg to Edinburgh from Carstairs included

The 'book' versions (post war and pre war I think for the 5 routes I listed earlier) have the same map/linear guide in them, but also a substantial c50 page section called 'The Route in Detail' which is a written descriptions of the route and the places served.

Meanwhile, neither Sheffield or Nottingham trains leave St Pancras at xx25 any more...

 

[WesternLancer]

theres one for the ACE

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/306419977901

The Atlantic Coast Express by S.P.B. Mais: Soft cover (1937) 1st Edition | London Rare Books

1st Edition - Soft cover - Southern Railway Company - 1937 - Condition: Good - Mais, S.P.B., The Atlantic Coast Express, Southern Railway Company (1937). First Edition. Soft covers ring bound with white plastic, acetate window visible through cutout front cover, with full page illustration seen...

www.abebooks.co.uk

Thank for that e-bay link - I ended up buying that copy - it was significantly cheaper than others on sale (like £70+ cheaper) albeit those did look to be very fine examples. The one I got was not perfect (cover slightly damaged) but it's overall v good condition and the artwork in it is very good indeed. Very pleased with it.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 12 May 2026 ==

Patrick Stephens Ltd reprinted some of the books that the GWR published. My copy of "The 1030 Limited", originally published in 1923, has an ad for "Through the Window" number one: Paddington to Penzance (the Cornish Riviera Route). "A Publication to Grace the Library". Also an ad for the "Legendland" series of four booklets - "a collection of Old Tales told in those parts of Britain served by the GWR", including the Mermaid of Zennor, the Lady of Llyn-y-FanFach, The Furry Day Song, etc.

Later books have ads for various other GWR books, but no "Through the Window" series. If the Penzance book, or the subsequent Birkenhead book, had disappointing sales, perhaps they discontinued the series?

I placed the Paddington to Birkenhead GWR guide on an e-bay 'watchlist' and the vendor in the USA kindly sent me a very good offer without me asking, so I acquired this. The cover is a bit dirty but the book inside is in v good condition really. The cost of US postage to UK outweighed the price of the actual guide book.

There's a GWR leaflet inside the book suggesting it was given to US visitors.

I wondered if maybe it was given on board transatlantic ships to encourage visitors to use the Birkenhead - to London route instead of the Liverpool Euston route - tho this is a long shot given by the time of publication I would have thought most ocean liner traffic was going to Southampton.

The vendor said they had acquired it via a house contents sale in the USA that included a reasonable amount of books and guide from US mid western railroads - so obviously it was in the possession of an enthusiast.

 

[Merle Haggard]

There is 'The Euston and Crewe Companion' by Oakwood Press 1947. Not a railway publication but it was compiled by D.S.M. Barry who, I think, was the LMS PRO at the time. Useful track plans as an appendix.

 

[Lloyds siding]

I think there were several over the years for the Liverpool Overhead Railway. A 'map' with notes here Historical map of Liverpool Overhead Railway

Another was 'The Liverpool Overhead Railway' published by the Liverpool Echo during the 1940s

 

[WesternLancer]

There is 'The Euston and Crewe Companion' by Oakwood Press 1947. Not a railway publication but it was compiled by D.S.M. Barry who, I think, was the LMS PRO at the time. Useful track plans as an appendix.

Thanks - there are certainly ones published by others than the railway but clearly, as you say, with links to the railway companies.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 12 May 2026 ==

I think there were several over the years for the Liverpool Overhead Railway. A 'map' with notes here Historical map of Liverpool Overhead Railway

Another was 'The Liverpool Overhead Railway' published by the Liverpool Echo during the 1940s

Thanks - that is very much a guide to what can be seen.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 12 May 2026 ==

I've just found another GWR book - Paddington to Killarney - I've edited my 1st post to add it to the list I originally made

shown here

Through the Window

GWR publications - 'Through the Window' books and booklets

culhamticketoffice.co.uk

and here

June 2021 - STEAM - Museum of the Great Western Railway

www.steam-museum.org.uk

 

[Belperpete]

Interesting. Was that by the Wales TOC?

Apologies it has taken so long to reply! I have just found a couple of copies of the Cambrian Coast Gazer. The first was produced in 2008 by Timeline for The Cambrian Railways Partnership, the second in 2010 by Good Journey, again for The Cambrian Railways Partnership. They are large sheets (A2 sized I think). Although folded for distribution, they can't be read properly while folded, they need to be completely unfolded, so they would not be easy to scan. Or to read on the train, particularly if you are in a back-to-back seat!

 

[WesternLancer]

Apologies it has taken so long to reply! I have just found a couple of copies of the Cambrian Coast Gazer. The first was produced in 2008 by Timeline for The Cambrian Railways Partnership, the second in 2010 by Good Journey, again for The Cambrian Railways Partnership. They are large sheets (A2 sized I think). Although folded for distribution, they can't be read properly while folded, they need to be completely unfolded, so they would not be easy to scan. Or to read on the train, particularly if you are in a back-to-back seat!

Thanks for returning with this added info. Interesting to read.

 

[Bodiam]

I have "The Royal Scot" by Alan Anderson (who also did the illustrations), published in about 1953 by Brockhampton Press. 15 x 8 cm, horizontal format, 64 pages. There were also booklets on the Cornish Riviera and the Flying Scotsman in the same series. Some description of scenes on the way, and details of railway installations and operations that the young reader might see.

 

[WesternLancer]

I have "The Royal Scot" by Alan Anderson (who also did the illustrations), published in about 1953 by Brockhampton Press. 15 x 8 cm, horizontal format, 64 pages. There were also booklets on the Cornish Riviera and the Flying Scotsman in the same series. Some description of scenes on the way, and details of railway installations and operations that the young reader might see.

Don’t think I’ve seen that series. Sounds interesting.
Thanks for posting

 

[eldomtom2]

There was also an "On Either Side" booklet produced for lines in East Anglia. A digital scan can be purchased from the GER Society.

 

[WesternLancer]

There was also an "On Either Side" booklet produced for lines in East Anglia. A digital scan can be purchased from the GER Society.

That’s very interesting. I don’t think I’ve seen one of them. Logical it should exist. Thanks.