second hand bookshops

[Nick Howell]

THE SMOKEBOX RISES FROM THE ASHES!
I`m sure some people remember the shop in Cromwell Road, Kingston on Thames called "The Smokebox". This sold all types of transport memorabilia but particularly railways and buses/trams.
The owner died some years ago and we bought out most of the stock. Subsequent history was that the stock .or what is left has been scattered between 2 antiques centres in the North of England, together with some at collectors fairs etc.
We are now taking some space in ANTIQUES OF KINGSTON in Old London Road, Kingston-a few minutes walk from the site of The Smokebox.We will be dealing in the same type of material and the centre is normally open from 10-6 m-sat and 10.30-5 on Sunday.
We are hoping to be in situ( stall F2B) from early November and hope to see some people from then.
Ant further updates-we`ll continue to post.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Is Kingston station fairly nearby?

 

[MAV39]

0.2 mile or 4 mins walk according to Google Maps.

 

[Nick Howell]

THE SMOKEBOX RISES FROM THE ASHES!
I`m sure some people remember the shop in Cromwell Road, Kingston on Thames called "The Smokebox". This sold all types of transport memorabilia but particularly railways and buses/trams.
The owner died some years ago and we bought out most of the stock. Subsequent history was that the stock .or what is left has been scattered between 2 antiques centres in the North of England, together with some at collectors fairs etc.
We are now taking some space in ANTIQUES OF KINGSTON in Old London Road, Kingston-a few minutes walk from the site of The Smokebox.We will be dealing in the same type of material and the centre is normally open from 10-6 m-sat and 10.30-5 on Sunday.
We are hoping to be in situ( stall F2B) from early November and hope to see some people from then.
Ant further updates-we`ll continue to post.

This is now expected to be up and running by around 15th November

 

[12LDA28C]

There used to be some excellent second-hand bookshops at various locations. My particular favourite was Keegan's in Reading, just a few minutes' walk from the station. Also Paton's in St Albans wasn't bad. Both of these establishments closed some years ago sadly.

 

[MisterSheeps]

If you are ever oop t'north, the Old Pier bookshop in Morecambe has interesting second hand stuff. Used to be a good one at Matlock Station (maybe is a Peak Rail related business). Buxton & Holmfirth have good second hand stuff. Cromford has Scarthin Books, good local stuff & secondhand.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Carlisle 'Bookends' is a decent sized second hand bookshop and both Michael Moon's place in Whitehaven and the 'Carnforth Bookshop' also have their moments. All three have about 10%-15% of their floor space devoted to new books, and the remainder is essentially second hand stock.

And an honourable mention to the 'George Kelsall' bookshop in Littleborough.

All four are easy enough to get to, by rail.

P.S. What's the bookshop located in the former station building in Alnwick? Only been the once and thought their stock to be a tad overpriced.

 

[Albaman]

Carlisle 'Bookends' is a decent sized second hand bookshop and both Michael Moon's place in Whitehaven and the 'Carnforth Bookshop' also have their moments. All three have about 10%-15% of their floor space devoted to new books, and the remainder is essentially second hand stock.

And an honourable mention to the 'George Kelsall' bookshop in Littleborough.

All four are easy enough to get to, by rail.

P.S. What's the bookshop located in the former station building in Alnwick? Only been the once and thought their stock to be a tad overpriced.

Caledonia Books in Great Western Road , Glasgow has good selection of books in their Transport section . The shop is a few minutes walk from Kelvin Bridge underground station.

 

[wilbers]

Carlisle 'Bookends' is a decent sized second hand bookshop and both Michael Moon's place in Whitehaven and the 'Carnforth Bookshop' also have their moments. All three have about 10%-15% of their floor space devoted to new books, and the remainder is essentially second hand stock.

And an honourable mention to the 'George Kelsall' bookshop in Littleborough.

All four are easy enough to get to, by rail.

P.S. What's the bookshop located in the former station building in Alnwick? Only been the once and thought their stock to be a tad overpriced.

the one in Alnwick is Barter books, and they are more than a tad overpriced - often I'd be doing well to sell something at half what they list it at.

There is another in Cartmel (south Cumbria) run by a friend of mine.

Gatehouse Bookshop

www.kerrbooks.co.uk

 

[Busaholic]

the one in Alnwick is Barter books, and they are more than a tad overpriced - often I'd be doing well to sell something at half what they list it at.

There is another in Cartmel (south Cumbria) run by a friend of mine.

Gatehouse Bookshop

www.kerrbooks.co.uk

The location of Barter Books in the old station makes it a desirable location in its own right, and it seems to be very well known by booklovers from all over the U.K. I've never been there, but I hear a lot about it from my in-laws who live closeby. Such shops do not have to be keenly priced, lots of people will just buy a book there for the sake of it, to get their bag.

 

[S&CLER]

C.K. Broadhurst in Market Street Southport is good, and has a reasonable selection of railway and other transport titles; also has recently had quite a lot of Alan Godfrey reprints of OS maps. I have over the years bought many issues of the Illustrated London News from the 1840s to 1860s for their railway illustrations, some of them for framing. I understand the owner bought a run of the ILN in very distressed condition (they'd been in a garage) only suitable for splitting and sale as individual issues. There's usually a small stack of them on the table in the big room where the history, topography and transport titles are kept.
There are two branches of Halewood's in Friargate, Preston, but you need some patience to explore them. The shop at the top end is so crowded with books that it's almost dangerous. I don't know if you can still go down into the basement there. The owner, one of two brothers, is a Conan Doyle obsessive.
The second hand bookshop in Clitheroe is not bad. There is one in Buxton too, but I've always found it rather disappointing.
At George Kelsall's in Littleborough you need to ask to be let into the rear premises, where most of the stock is kept.
Henry Bohn Books on London Road in Liverpool is always worth a visit; the owner Michael McCabe has at last yielded to pressure to get a card reader, and no longer sends customers round to Lime Street to draw cash from an ATM. Like Bookcase/Bookends in Carlisle, he is a very good source of classical CDs.

 

[Trainlog]

Baggins Book Bazaar of Rochester has a good selection of 2nd hand railway books and its the largest 2nd hand book shop in England! From memory there is plenty of books from the Early 20th century till modern image in there so its well worth a visit if anyone is in the area.

 

[weepingwillowb]

In Shrewsbury Indoor Market, on the upper floor (or gallery), there's a unit which has a good selection of secondhand railway-related books.

 

[Big Jumby 74]

THE SMOKEBOX RISES FROM THE ASHES!
I`m sure some people remember the shop in Cromwell Road, Kingston on Thames called "The Smokebox".

Most certainly do. Was always worth a look on regular visits to Kingston garage and coal yard whilst chasing RT's and RF's...

 

[John Luxton]

The shop at Llanfair Caereinion Station on the WLLR has a good range of second hand books as well as new titles.

I have managed to pick up again at very reasonable prices a couple of books I mistakenly sold about 20 years ago during one of my clear outs.

Obviously its open on railway operating days.

Also I noticed recently that Severn Valley Railway has a second hand book kiosk on the concourse at Kidderminster Station.

 

[Western Sunset]

Whilst I've bought stuff online from The Book Barn in Hallatrow (near Shepton Mallett), when I actually visited the place this summer I was disappointed with their selection.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Don't forget about Robert Humm's shop in Stamford...

 

[8A Rail]

I have some books to sell, not sure if one / two may appeal to someone, see: https://www.8arail.uk/more-items-for-sale.html

 

[4SubAsociation]

Quite a few railway groups sell second hand books.

The 4SUB Association does. Some are listed online which can be posted which can be found here (we have new books too) - https://www.facebook.com/groups/4SubAssociationSales

Other groups/railways that have second hand books are as follows

Spa Valley - At Tunbridge wells behind the shop on a cart
Network South East Society
East Kent Railway - in the main shop and model shop
Kent and East Sussex - in the the Colonel Stephens Railway Museum Tenterden
Romney Hythe and Dymchurch - have not been for a while, some where sold at Hythe but i think its at New Romney now.

There are more but these are the ones i can recall.

 

[Trainlog]

Quite a few railway groups sell second hand books.

The 4SUB Association does. Some are listed online which can be posted which can be found here (we have new books too) - https://www.facebook.com/groups/4SubAssociationSales

Other groups/railways that have second hand books are as follows

Spa Valley - At Tunbridge wells behind the shop on a cart
Network South East Society
East Kent Railway - in the main shop and model shop
Kent and East Sussex - in the the Colonel Stephens Railway Museum Tenterden
Romney Hythe and Dymchurch - have not been for a while, some where sold at Hythe but i think its at New Romney now.

There are more but these are the ones i can recall.

Ah yes i can agree with this - Plus its a good form of extra revenue for heritage railways. The Spa valley has many smaller second hand books stalls scattered along the line too at Groombridge and at Eridge also, albeit they are quite small in scope. The Colonel Stephens bookshop is a very good one with a huge range of books from being written in the age of steam to whatever is donated in there at the time of visiting.

Would definitely like to give the Rother Valley railway group a honorable mention as they are open every Sunday at Robertsbridge Junction station and they have a decently sized selection of 2nd hand books on sale there from varying ages and conditions. The Sales of which will go towards the re connection of the K&ESR to the national network so if anyone is in the Hastings area or on the Hastings mainline on a Sunday its worth a good hour to stop off and visit them!

 

[Falcon1200]

My particular favourite was Keegan's in Reading, just a few minutes' walk from the station.

Keegan's was a great shop, I bought many a railway book there including some USA ones, the most memorable being Richard Steinheimer's The Electric Way across the Mountains, about the Milwaukee Road. Being as you say a short walk from my workplace from 1980 to 1984 at Reading station helped!

The GWS at Didcot and the SVR at Bewdley have excellent second hand bookshops, in both cases in an old coach.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

In Shrewsbury Indoor Market, on the upper floor (or gallery), there's a unit which has a good selection of secondhand railway-related books.

Is that one in Shrewsbury called 'Raven Books' ?

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Don't forget about Robert Humm's shop in Stamford...

Be right in saying that they're not at the station building in Stamford anymore, are they?

 

[Busaholic]

Be right in saying that they're not at the station building in Stamford anymore, are they?

Don't know, but just went to their website and their 'out of print showcase' featuring about 700 of their 20 to 30 thousand volumes in stock (their words) was last updated April 2020, which doesn't inspire me to become a customer.

 

[weepingwillowb]

Is that one in Shrewsbury called 'Raven Books' ?

I had to look it up, but, yes, that's the one; it occupys two units. I only came across it because there's a unit selling records on the other side of the gallery.

 

[S&CLER]

Sedbergh attempted to become an English Hay on Wye, but several of the smaller shops have now closed, including a specialist railway bookshop that was run by a retired Shell exec who drove up from Cheshire to Sedbergh every day. However, a couple of shops remain, including Westwoods, which has a large general stock and some transport titlles. There is a good secondhand shop in Great Malvern, also a charity bookshop run by Amnesty. In Cromer a week or two ago, I found two rail titles I wanted at Shiloah Books.

 

[STEVIEBOY1]

I have ben to a number of the book shops mentioned above and I do clearly remember the Smokebox in Kingston, I will try to visit the new enterprise in London Road, it is not far away. Hope it does well.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Sedbergh attempted to become an English Hay on Wye.

However, a couple of shops remain, including Westwoods, which has a large general stock and some transport titlles.

Have been to 'Westwoods' in Sedburgh and have found their book offering to be somewhat disappointing. Better, and less cluttered, IMHO, is the more compact 'Sedburgh Information Centre / Howgills Bookshop' in the middle of the town centre.

 

[ChiefPlanner]

Hard to beat this superb shop.

https://www.bottbooks.com/

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Hard to beat this superb shop.

https://www.bottbooks.com/

That's the one in the middle of Felixstowe? Been there the once, lots there worth looking at and they also provide a good mail order service for those for whom coastal Suffolk is maybe too far to get to.