New books for buffs

Our review of some of the most recent additions to the local history bookshelf starts with Patrick Howat's Railways Of Ryedale. This is a completely revised edition of a book first published in 1988.

It is an attractively-produced work with more than 160 illustrations. Doing exactly what it says on the cover, the book relates the complete story of the railways which served Ryedale from 1853 until their closure 40 years ago.

Included are descriptions of the village and town stations in the area, such as Coxwold, Ampleforth, Hovingham and Helmsley.

Many station masters took great pride in the appearance of their little kingdom. "Commencing in 1895 there was an annual competition for the Best Kept Station, in which Coxwold was a regular winner of a first class prize," Mr Howat writes.

"Early photographs show platforms with raked gravel surfaces, backed by beds of flowers and bushes. The station's position partially in a cutting, the sides of which were planted with flowers, made it more picturesque.

"George Smith, station master for 35 years, was the architect of the station's early success in the competition. He even went to ruined Byland Abbey, two miles away, in search of stone to enhance the garden."

These sorts of details enliven a remarkably thorough history of the growth and decline of Ryedale railways. Personal testimony is also included, such as that of Olive Wrightson, a clerk at Helmsley Station during the war years.

"We worked long hours, especially if there was a 'Red Alert' in York, when the evening train might be delayed and we might not get home until ten," she recalls in the book.

"Sometimes we'd be there for hours, just waiting for a train to come in. There were a lot of troops; we got them in batches going away and then there used to be those who were going away on leave, booking individually."

With memories such as this, and a host of pictures from the steam age, Railways Of Ryedale would be a perfect gift for any train enthusiast.

From trains to planes. Wings Of Youth is a history of air cadet activities in North and East Yorkshire by Ray Kidd. It was obviously a labour of love by Mr Kidd, abetted by the many former cadets who hold the ATC in such affection.

Wings Of Youth is packed with profiles of squadrons and commanders, with plenty of pictures old and new, taken on the ground and in the air.

A snapshot of cadet life is reproduced in the form of a report by 116 (Archbishop Holgate's School) Squadron in 1940: "Perhaps the most interesting parade of the term took place on June 6 when the Squadron was invited by the Officer Commanding, Infantry Training Centre, West Yorkshire Regiment, to visit the Depot Barracks at Fulford.

"A demonstration of drill by a squad which had completed six weeks training was followed by a visit to the range where the weapons training officer and a sergeant instructor explained the construction and mechanism of the Bren gun.

"The uses of this weapon and the different positions in which it can be fired were afterwards demonstrated and the cadets came away with a vivid impression of the effectiveness of the gun."

Pure nostalgia for the winged ones.

The slimmest volume in this round-up is also the most stunning. Modern Glasspainters Of York by Philip Mason contains many glorious photographs of stained glass.

Our city has been a world-renowned centre of this craft since medieval times. Philip takes up the story when Britain's post-war reconstruction effort brought new glass artists to the fore. Among them was Harry Stammers.

He was invited to establish a school of glasspainting in York by Eric Milner-White, an art connoisseur with a passion for stained glass who became Dean of York Minster in 1941.

Mr Mason traces the development of this school and its followers and offers illuminating commentary to the many beautiful photographs of windows its practitioners created.

Treasures Of York is a heavier tome, and benefits from a foreword penned by a heavyweight royal - Prince Charles.

This is quality on quality: with Christine Kyriacou, Frances Mee and Nicola Rogers from the York Archaeological Trust describing 150 of the most interesting objects excavated by the trust.

The artefacts under scrutiny date from prehistory to Victorian times, and many are pictured. They vary from the world-famous Coppergate helmet to a medieval bowling ball.

There are many fascinating discoveries along the way. Modern techniques suggest that pebbles found with Neolithic pottery were heated up and may therefore have been potboilers - hot stones thrown into water to keep it boiling during cooking.

The Romans had their own bottle banks. They kept broken glass for recycling because, when added to the raw ingredients of sand and an alkali, it was found to lower the temperature at which melting took place - and save fuel.

Still with our sandalled ancestors, history enthusiasts can learn about all corners of Eboracum in Patrick Ottaway's Roman York.

Building on recent research this is an update to Patrick's 1993 work. It includes chapters on the fortresses, the civilian settlement and the end of Eboracum, all illustrated with photographs of uncovered foundations, representations of how the city would have looked and diagrams of Roman building techniques.

Railways Of Ryedale by Patrick Howat is £12.95 and is on sale at the Barbican Bookshop, Fossgate, York, or direct from Martin Bairstow, 53 Kirklees Drive, Farsley, Leeds LS28 5TD, post free

Wings Of Youth by Ray Kidd is £13.99 with profits going to air cadets. It too is available at the Barbican

Modern Glasspainters Of York by Philip Mason costs £4.95 and again is in stock at the Barbican

Treasures Of York by Christine Kyriacou, Frances Mee and Nicola Rogers is published by Landmark, priced £19.95

Roman York by Patrick Ottaway is published by Tempus, price £17.99

Updated: 09:23 Monday, December 06, 2004