IT was a fair way to travel, but when it comes to checking out potential Christmas presents for the history buff in your life, Yesterday Once More will not stint.

We journeyed to the edge of Sherburn-in-Elmet to meet Don Bramley, whose family have farmed there for generations. In his study are local history books galore, biographies, 16 scrapbooks, countless letters and records. It is adds up to a wonderful archive.

"I'm a collector of things," Don, 69, said. "I have kept diaries since 1946."

He has also kept a taped record of his family and visitors. That began through his friendship with Leif Sylling from Norway, who came to work with him on the farm in 1967. After an accident six years later Leif was confined to a wheelchair, and he and Don kept in touch by sending taped messages and music to one another.

That led Don to start taking his tape recorder around Sherburn to record the memories of its residents. Now some of these transcripts, plus photographs, poems and Don's own recollections, have been pulled together in a unique book.

In Them Days is an A4 hardback, printed on glossy pages, and cram-packed with rural nostalgia.

On one page you will find homespun Yorkshire wisdom: "Never argue wi' t'women, cause you'll never get t'last word in, unless you say 'Yes darling, you're right'."

On another, a shocking war story, like the late Tadcaster corn merchant Harry Rawling's memories of building the Japanese "railway of death", an horrific account.

Don is a passionate reader and sportsman, so there are chapters on local writers such as JL Carr and on cricket and rugby adventures.

There are memories of childhood bicycle rides, trips to the cinema, a working windmill and, of course, farming through the seasons.

The book contains a new delight with every dip into it. And Don is already planning the sequel. "We've got a title for it. In Them Days II."

More country nostalgia is available on video. Agricultural film archivist Robert Howarth, of Huddersfield, has produced A Farm In War And Peace. The video is taken from old films chronicling his uncle's farm in Sheriff Hutton from the 1940s to the 1960s.

Robert would love to hear from anyone who has old movie films about Yorkshire farms. Details below.

If you travel by rail, you need a sense of humour. And if you worked on the railways, it was mandatory.

That is clear from railway writer Peter Kirton's new book Yorkshire Humour On The Rails.

The author of Proceed At Caution was inspired to research his latest book for much the same reason as Don Bramley: to capture memories before it was too late.

He interviewed railway workers at the British Rail Staff Association Club at Skipton.

"You ask chaps to write their stories down and they won't," Peter said. "So each month when I went, I took my tape recorder.

"I told them I wanted humorous stories. Life's too miserable today. I wanted this book to recall the camaraderie we had in the British Rail era."

Alongside the anecdotes, Peter has written articles on the social history of the railways.

There are many humorous stories to choose from. Here is one.

"Some 40 years ago as a passenger guard I was working a summer relief train to Scotland and I was to be relieved at York," recalled retired ticket inspector David Eyers.

"Making my way through the train I was accosted by a very angry woman. Apparently she had booked a seat but it had not been reserved, although she had found another.

"Furthermore, she had expected to find a buffet car, which was non existent. This was run-of-the-mill stuff for a guard to deal with. Offer apologies and explain we seldom had sufficient buffet cars to cover relief trains or the staff to run them, and tell her that the complaint would be forwarded to the appropriate authorities.

"To my surprise, she said, 'Oh don't bother, I've already had my own back on British Rail'."

"I was horrified. I had visions of a fire extinguisher being hurled from the train, or a toilet being smashed up.

"I blurted out, 'Madam, I hesitate to ask you what you have done, but are you going to own up?'

"She smiled serenely and very proudly said: 'I only have a second class ticket, but I have just had a diddle in a first class toilet'."

In Them Days by Don Bramley is available from the author at £15 plus £5 postage. Contact 01977 682651, or log on to www.in-them-days.co.uk

Yorkshire Humour On The Rails by Peter Kirton is published by Write Books, price £9.99. It is on sale at the Barbican Bookshop, Fossgate, York and branches of WHSmith at York Railway Station, Coney Street and Monks Cross

The video A Farm In War And Peace can be obtained from Robert Howarth, 23 Scape View, Golcar, Huddersfield, HD7 4DH price £15 plus £1.50 p&p. Telephone 01484 655597

We were given the wrong email address for the war story Flight From Stalag IVB last week. The correct address is www.flightpathtostalag4b.co.uk

Updated: 12:15 Monday, December 08, 2003