Hello all
I've always loved browsing a good second-hand bookshop but in recent years I've noticed that even if I can find a second-hand bookshop, the quality of the stock, particularly non-fiction doesn't seem to be all that good anymore. I'd always come away with at something in the past. We're always being told fewer people read/collect books anymore so you'd think the amount of stock would be going up as existing collectors pass on and their books come to market.
I'm sure the margins in second-hand bookselling aren't always that great so rising rates has probably finished off many shops but why the decline in the quality/range of stock in the remaining shops?
Is most of it heading online/being sold by the stores online?
Seems logical but if that is so I haven't been able to find it.
Does anyone have any recommendations for stores with particularly good railway selections?
I'm based in the Beds/Herts area so have already trawled the very good selection at David's in Letchworth but that's the only shop I know in the area.
On a lighter note and along the same lines as the Ebay madness thread I did chuckle at this listing on World of Books:
https://www.worldofbooks.com/en-gb/books/robert-pritchard/electric-multiple-units-2014-including-multiple-unit-formations-and-light-rail-s/GOR006366430 (https://www.worldofbooks.com/en-gb/books/robert-pritchard/electric-multiple-units-2014-including-multiple-unit-formations-and-light-rail-s/GOR006366430)
Bargain... :goggleeyes:
I prefer book browsing in person but ended up on this website after seeing a recommendation on another forum.
Absolute bargain, mate. I'm gonna order two, and I'm a transition modeller! ;)
However, I tend to think online shopping is going to kill the second hand bookshops, unfortunately.
I usually nip into any second hand bookshop wherever we are just to have a gander.
On ebay recently I have managed to acquire a good number of very good condition books for not very much money.
Also at TINGS yesterday managed to pick up what appears to be brand new 2007 reprint of a book that retailed at £18.99 and I paid £4 for, I had to ask again because I thought he said £14 which would of been perfectly reasonable.
So plenty of bargains are there, one thing I have found in the last 2 years expanding our library of SR west of Bournemouth the quality of second hand is fantastic. Presumably as we modellers buy them for information and reference theres never any damage other then an occasional sun bleached spine!
Roussaue and Voltaire in Glasgow my local second hand book shop has a large and varied selection of all types of books but it is a nightmare trying to find anything ,the book shelves are full and books are piled two deep and up to four foot high in front of the shelves.Prices are reasonable but you feel that you take your life in your hands if you go rummaging in their stock.
Sounds like a scene from a Harry Potter movie!
Quote from: javlinfaw7 on September 15, 2019, 11:07:18 AM
Roussaue and Voltaire in Glasgow my local second hand book shop has a large and varied selection of all types of books but it is a nightmare trying to find anything ,the book shelves are full and books are piled two deep and up to four foot high in front of the shelves.Prices are reasonable but you feel that you take your life in your hands if you go rummaging in their stock.
Sounds cool, like a proper second hand bookshop and nothing beats a good treasure hunt ;)
Quote from: exmouthcraig on September 15, 2019, 10:55:06 AM
So plenty of bargains are there, one thing I have found in the last 2 years expanding our library of SR west of Bournemouth the quality of second hand is fantastic. Presumably as we modellers buy them for information and reference theres never any damage other then an occasional sun bleached spine!
That's true, I rarely saw a book in bad condition.
Nice secondhand book selection in Woodhall Spa, Lincs, with three racks of railway related items. Stock additions quite frequent.
I'll be in Woodhall sometime this week so if there is a particular book you are looking for let me know and I'll take a gander. (other birds by appointment only ;) )
Doesn't help much for people 'down south' but in the countryside, south of Crewe, there's an antique and craft centre called Dagfields, built on what was once a farm. One of the shops is a fantastic 2nd hand bookshop with a really large range of railway books. The shop itself sells everything from 50p modern paperback novels to rare First Editions. 'She-who-must-be-obeyed' and myself get lost there for hours as it comprises 3 shop units of books and a fourth containing out-of-print CDs and vinyls.
As an added bonus Trident Trains has its shop almost opposite, and for a small, independent shop, they stock a really good range of N gauge railway models (and that larger stuff as well!)
I add that I've no financial interest in either place, I'm just an admirer!
Charity shops can also be a source of second hand bargains, but may be patchy; lots one month, virtually nil the next one (railway books, that is!)
Martyn
I always pop into a second hand bookshop if there is one around.
Sometimes they come up trumps but more often than not there isn't much railway related stuff and if there is, it's the same old books.
A visit to Hay on Wye of course, is well worthwhile, the second hand bookshop capital of the world.
Quote from: daffy on September 15, 2019, 11:19:31 AM
Nice secondhand book selection in Woodhall Spa, Lincs, with three racks of railway related items. Stock additions quite frequent.
I'll be in Woodhall sometime this week so if there is a particular book you are looking for let me know and I'll take a gander. (other birds by appointment only ;) )
Thanks Daffy, nothing in particular, just miss the process of browsing and stumbling across something I didn't know I wanted. :thumbsup:
I wish there were more book stores of the type you gentlemen describe as by their very nature they become intimate and draw you into the collection on the shelves. Sadly, there are not too many near me and worse very little on the shelves in relation to railways. With that in mind, I while away the time browsing the collections featured on abebooks.com.
The biggest issue has always been the quality of the book you're investigating and I've always confined my purchases to those where the condition is described as: "new" or "mint", "as new", "fine", and "very good" or "near fine". I have never been disappointed as a result. The only time I was disappointed was when I purchased a book described as "good" and, frankly, it was the best condition of those on offer.
It remains the best alternative when the ambience of a true book store is denied. :(
I am lucky as within a 5 minute walk of Roussaue & Voltaire there are 3 more contrasting book shops , Thistle who specialise in sheet music but have good selection of edition and some railway anc transport , Caledonian Books more up market but always a good selection including a large transport section and a specialised Oxfam Book shop who always have a good if sometimes costly selection
Quote from: martyn on September 15, 2019, 11:40:40 AM
Charity shops can also be a source of second hand bargains, but may be patchy; lots one month, virtually nil the next one (railway books, that is!)
Martyn
I totally agree with Martyn as, let's face it, the growth area in UK towns is the number of charity shops. It's also a sad fact that those books tend to appear as older folk pass away, and tend to get snapped up fairly quickly - hence the rise and fall in supply.
Have you tried your local heritage railway ( if you have one)? The Bluebell Railway near me has the 'Carriage Shop', which is literally a shop in an old carriage, and has a huge collection of railway books and other stuff.
Alternatively, try https://www.abebooks.co.uk (https://www.abebooks.co.uk). This is a website which forms a network of small, specialist booksellers. Prices range from the bargain to the eye-watering, but you can usually find what you want on there. A few years ago my wife was looking for a particular book of Irish music and found what appeared to be the only copy on sale anywhere in the world... in Australia!
Good luck!
Cheers,
Chris
I realise that this is not in the spirit of the original post, but a seller who uses the id qequeen on ebay has some excellent railway themed books listed. I have bought a few from him and the seller, Chris, is amenable to waiting for his money if you are looking at more than one book. Every book I have had from him is in virtual 'as new' condition and many prices start at 99p. Just one example -
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/THAT-WAS-MY-RAILWAY-Frank-L-Hick-1991-1st-HB-VGC/123413533754?hash=item1cbc05143a:g:O1UAAOSwqRBbRJhK (https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/THAT-WAS-MY-RAILWAY-Frank-L-Hick-1991-1st-HB-VGC/123413533754?hash=item1cbc05143a:g:O1UAAOSwqRBbRJhK)
Usual thing about no connection etc.
Quote from: javlinfaw7 on September 15, 2019, 01:54:48 PM
I am lucky as within a 5 minute walk of Roussaue & Voltaire there are 3 more contrasting book shops , Thistle who specialise in sheet music but have good selection of edition and some railway anc transport , Caledonian Books more up market but always a good selection including a large transport section and a specialised Oxfam Book shop who always have a good if sometimes costly selection
Heaven and Hell in one place.
My SWMBO and me would spend way too much time and monry in there...
Quote from: Papyrus on September 15, 2019, 03:16:30 PM
Alternatively, try https://www.abebooks.co.uk (https://www.abebooks.co.uk). This is a website which forms a network of small, specialist booksellers. Prices range from the bargain to the eye-watering, but you can usually find what you want on there. A few years ago my wife was looking for a particular book of Irish music and found what appeared to be the only copy on sale anywhere in the world... in Australia!
Yup, being in foreign parts this has proved a very useful source of out-of-print works.
I use a couple of second hand bookshops. One in great Yarmouth in the arcade, had hundreds of books in front of shop for £1. Out the back is a cabinet of railway books, normally less than £5, but it's hit and miss some times the cabinet is full.. Sometimes it's half empty..
The other in Cromer on new street has a good range but is more expensive..
If there is something specific I want generally I too use abebooks.
Barter books in Alnwick is good and in an old railway station too with a great cafe.
Quote from: sg on September 16, 2019, 10:30:36 PM
Barter books in Alnwick is good and in an old railway station too with a great cafe.
Funny you should mention that because that's one of the reasons I started this thread. Have to be honest and say I was a bit disappointed with their selection. I know it's meant to be the alpha and omega of second-hand bookshops but in most areas I looked the stock was either quite limited or not in very good condition. Plus the music they were piping was awful and intrusive. I will add I don't really read fiction and I'm told they are great for that.
If I'm ever in the area again I'll give it another go, perhaps I just unlucky as it was very busy, so they may have shifted a lot of stock in the days before.
Quote from: The Q on September 15, 2019, 07:06:57 PM
I use a couple of second hand bookshops. One in great Yarmouth in the arcade, had hundreds of books in front of shop for £1. Out the back is a cabinet of railway books, normally less than £5, but it's hit and miss some times the cabinet is full.. Sometimes it's half empty..
The other in Cromer on new street has a good range but is more expensive..
Interesting, might have to check those two out. Thanks.
Quote from: Papyrus on September 15, 2019, 03:16:30 PM
Have you tried your local heritage railway ( if you have one)? The Bluebell Railway near me has the 'Carriage Shop', which is literally a shop in an old carriage, and has a huge collection of railway books and other stuff...
Chris
Thanks Chris, Nene Valley would be my nearest and yes, they do have a second-hand bookshop and it's in an old carriage too :D. I'll have to go and have a browse. Fingers crossed...
The above has just reminded me of..
https://www.bvrw.co.uk/shop/bufferstop-books (https://www.bvrw.co.uk/shop/bufferstop-books) which is at the Hoveton (Wroxham0 end of the line..
Go and spend a weekend in Herefordshire.
Hay on Wye is famous for the number of book-shops it has (over twenty). Hay Cinema Bookshop has a very good second hand selection.
Hereford Model Centre is well worth a visit and the perserved railways at the Forest of Dean and Severn Valley aren't a million miles away.
Steven B