Published in July 2022, this book from publisher Pen & Sword is a collection of photographs by the renowned railway photographer Derek Cross of the Southern Railway and British Railways' Southern Region from the late 1940s through to the end of steam on the Southern Region
Compiled by Derek Cross's son, David Cross, this hardback book measures around 27.94 cm x 21.59 cm, has 144 pages, and 238 black and white photographs, and three maps. It has a published price of £25.00, but at the time of writing it can be obtained from Amazon for £18.54.
The book has three chapters covering the Southern Region's three divisions, namely the South Eastern, South Central, and South Western. Inevitably, as the author lived near Croydon in the South Eastern Division, that accounts for the majority of photos in the book. Each chapter has an excellent map outlining the area covered within the chapter.
Many of the photographs that the author has selected are remarkable for the amount of railway infrastructure which was once commonplace and is now long gone. Such photographs will be of great interest and use to both railway historians and modellers. The volume has an excellent selection of photographs, many of them unpublished, from the last days of the Southern Railway in 1946 through to the mid-1960s when steam was on the way out.
To complement this collection of exceptional photographs, the captions are equally well-written with great detail about both the subject and the surrounding infrastructure.
Each chapter begins with a map that details the area covered, such as the one below for the South Eastern Division. The photograph at the top right highlights Derek Cross's eye for detail by including the schoolboy in his composition, while the photo at the bottom right is of historical significance as it shows the elevated structure of Charing Cross signal box.
Derek Cross's photographs often feature more than just a single train in his photographs, such as the bottom photos on the pages below. On the left, a panoramic shot of Bromley South station includes Schools Class No. 30915 Brighton and an electric multiple unit, while the photo at the bottom right includes N Class No. 31873 and a Hastings line DEMU.
The sub-title to the book is The Southern In Transition, and that is clearly seen below, where at the bottom left is one of the Southern Region's 2,300 hp electric locomotives, and at the bottom right is one of the Class 33 diesels that were largely responsible for replacing steam on those lines in the South Eastern Division that weren't electrified.
The author has included many photos of the “Golden Arrow” Pullman train in the South Eastern Division chapter, which is understandable as more often than not the photographs show it being hauled by immaculately turned-out Bulleid Pacifics, as in the two photos on the right-hand page below.
Derek Cross's home in Croydon was conveniently placed for him to capture trains from other regions travelling to the South Central Division, often to resorts on the south coast. On the left below, LMS Class 5 No. 45374 is seen at East Croydon on a Coventry to Brighton excursion, while at the bottom right is a Class 31 diesel on an excursion from Enfield to Brighton.
The author can be excused for including the top left photo in the South Western Division chapter, as it shows the “Brighton Belle” which rightly belongs to the South Central Division. However, in this case, it provides an ideal comparison with the Merchant Navy-hauled “Bournemouth Belle” at the bottom left. All four photos below show Derek Cross's skill in making the train part of the landscape.
Certain names are associated with railway photography from the 1950s to the 1960s, and the late Derek Cross was one of the best. In this book, Derek's son, David, has put together a fine collection of Derek's vast collection of images of the Southern Region and its predecessor the Southern Railway. This book does not disappoint and is notable for the way in which Derek Cross captures the railway as part of the landscape rather than as the main subject. Highly recommended and good value for money.
The book is available to purchase from Amazon and from Pen & Sword.
We would like to thank Pen & Sword for providing RailAdvent with a copy of the book for review.
