AUTHOR David Maidment is a Methodist who began his railway management career in 1960 and although he retired from the railway industry some 22 years ago, he is still busy as founder of the international Railway Children charity – and as a writer and speaker, having retained an encyclopaedic knowledge of all things railway with a particular fondness for the days of steam. That will be obvious from his latest book, Great Western County Classes: The Churchward 4-4-0s, 4-4-2 Tanks and Hawksworth 4-6- 0s (Pen & Sword Books, £30), a large coffee table affair that will keep steam enthusiasts occupied for hours on end with its iconic photos, commentaries and inevitable statistics from the glory days of the Great Western Railway (GWR, sometimes known as “God’s Wonderful Railway”). The 4 -4-0 counties and the 4-4-2 tank locomotives (designed by George Jackson Churchward) were phased out in the 1930s, while the later 4-6-0s (designed by F W Hawksworth) were finally withdrawn from service in 1964. No doubt about it – if there was a place for a Connexional rail enthusiast, David Maidment would be the obvious candidate.

Methodist Recorder

As with all David Maidment's locomotive books this one is well researched and contains a lot of valuable information.
The text is supported by an excellent selection of photographs showing most of the locomotives either at rest or working trains.

Friends of the National Railway Museum

AS featured here

Miniaturas JM

Combining well-researched history, a quality album in its own right and a fact-packed work of reference, David Maidment's book is a 'must' for any GW enthusiast's bookshelf.

Great Western Echo