Southern Way No 27 will be available in July 2014. Our ever-popular mix of steam / electric / history / reminiscences as well as the usual features abound and will delight all enthusiasts of the Southern Region. This issue concentrates on infrastructure, stations, yards and civil engineering, subjects we know from our postbag are ever popular especially with the modeller. Look out then for a veritable feast in both colour and black and white.

For the latest No 30 edition of the Southern Way, the editor has something very special in store for EMU enthusiasts - the fact that this issue is due for release in April 2015 may be something of a clue...but fans will just have to watch this space. Otherwise, the latest issue includes the usual multifarious mixture of steam, infrastructure, reminiscences and what can only be described as the downright unusual. Just when you thought there was nothing new to say about the Southern Railway, a whole new selection of fascinating facts and photographs is released to delight all fans of the Southern Way series.

For the third and final portrayal of the southern railway in the years of World War 2, this exciting volume aims to present something rather different to the reader. With a further selection of unseen images of the railway in its damaged and destroyed state, this title gives an informative and real-life picture of the Southern during the World War 2 era. In addition to these previously unseen images, this wartime special takes an in-depth look at the human effort involved through records of the bravery of the staff during these hard times. The citations included in this volume make for a humbling experience and a truly inspirational read outlining the courage, bravery, and outstanding efforts of those working on and linked with the Southern Railways during the devastating times of World War 2.

In series with the main 'Southern Way' volumes, this 96 page book looks at things that went wrong on the railway - sometimes unavoidable, sometimes misfortune and sometimes just sheer bad luck. Nothing too macabre either, instead derailments, clear ups, and incident-causing delays, plus of course Bulleid's that got a bit hot under the casing! This primarily pictorial volume covers the period of both Southern Region and Southern Railway days plus a few earlier occurrences. The photographer sometimes unwittingly affording a glimpse of a background scene rarely seen elsewhere.

The Perfect Shot: Mini Edition for Africa II has been completely revised and expanded! This handy pocket-size guide has been a perennial customer favorite ever since it was first published in 2003. Take this mini reference afield as you hunt elephant, buffalo, hippopotamus, rhinoceros, lion, leopard, Nile crocodile, spotted hyena, giraffe, eland, greater kudu, zebra, sable, roan, waterbuck, blue wildebeest, bongo, oryx/gemsbok, hartebeest, black wildebeest, nyala, reedbuck, blesbok/bontebok, impala, bushbuck, springbok, warthog, duiker, klipspringer, steenbok, and grysbok. As in the big book, the mini edition features animal tracks as well as ghost views of vital areas and point of aim for each animal. A brief essay on natural history, trophy assessment, and subspecies is included. In addition, the updated tables in the back list the minimum requirements for inclusion in the Rowland Ward and SCI record books. While nothing can replace the "big" book, this is a super handy item to throw in your backpack or place in your pocket for your next safari. Don't forget to stick a mini guide in your pocket when afield so you'll know just where to place that "perfect shot"! This expanded and updated version is now 160 pages in length-32 more pages than the original Mini Perfect Shot.

Kevin "Doctari" Robertson's best-selling book on shot placement for African game, The Perfect Shot, has now been completely revised and updated: extensive additions to the text; 300 all-new photos of the animals covered; and revised, detailed anatomical drawings. The Perfect Shot II also has shot-placement details for a number of species not covered in the original edition, including blesbok, bongo, black wildebeest, grysbok, nyala, reedbuck, roan, and steenbok. In all, twenty-seven African game species are now covered. Robertson, a licensed professional hunter and veterinarian, first developed The Perfect Shot a dozen years ago, and it was quickly recognized as the most comprehensive work ever undertaken to show the anatomical features for all classes of African game. His revised version reflects his increased knowledge of big-game anatomy and shot placement. In addition, the chapters on bullet construction and performance have been substantially revised to cover the advances in bullet development that have occurred in the twelve years since the publication of the original edition. The book covers just about every animal you might hunt in Africa, from the big, dangerous species (elephant, buffalo, rhino, and hippo) to the large cats (lion and leopard) and from the largest antelopes (eland and bongo) to the smallest (duiker, grysbok, and klipspringer). Even Africa's more unusual species (giraffe, crocodile, zebra, and hyena) are covered in detail. Each animal is shown in at least one color field picture as well as a color ";ghost view"; that illustrates the shoulder bones, heart, lungs, brain, and spinal column. These views allow you to see precisely where to place your shot in relation to how the animal may be standing. Most species now have multiple illustrations from different angles for easier understanding of the different shot-placement options.

The story of the Meon Valley Railway has been broken into three volumes by expert railway author Kevin Robertson, each of them covering a specific time span. The third volume tells the story of the railway in its final months leading to closure, the last trains and then the gradual decay that naturally followed. However, this is not a book full of depressing images, instead it follows how sections remained in operational use for some years afterwards and also recounts the story of the abortive preservation scheme at Droxford. The book is also alive with stories and folklore from staff and passengers alike. Enthusiasts and locals will be enthralled by this last volume, not least by the specially commissioned painting for the jacket, depicting the station at Wickham by renowned railway artist Sean Bolan.

This pocket sized abc Railway Quiz Book is the perfect gift for all railway enthusiasts. It comprises a new and comprehensive selection of railway quiz questions plus a facsimile reprint of the original 1960 abc Quiz Book, which many will remember, and which will be a test of knowledge from days long past. The questions are arranged thematically in sections, covering railway history and the present day scene. Helpfully, the answers are given at the back. It is a mine of completely useless by fascinating facts, information and trivia which will challenge even the most ardent of railway experts.

The Meon Valley Railway (MVR) was a cross-country railway in Hampshire that ran for 22.5 miles between Alton and Fareham, closely following the course of the River Meon. The railway was authorized in 1896 and opened in 1903, making it one of the last railways of any size to be built to main-line standards in the United Kingdom. This informative new book contains the first full set of construction photographs for any railway in the south of England. Taken from the perspective of the surveyor, Navvy, his family, and the local populace, this is an amazing record displaying the impact of building a new railway had on an otherwise untouched landscape. The images are also seen in their original sepia form, without recourse to modern-day toning. The sixty-four pages portray what is intended to be the first of a three-part work on the Meon Valley Railway. This first volume covers the early years from 1899 through to 1903.

In this new volume, Kevin Robertson continues the SR wartime theme using more previously unseen material, much of which has come to light as a consequence of the publication of the first volume. Apart from graphic scenes of devastation and subsequent rebuilding, there are also many rare views of ambulance trains, staff, and passengers. The contemporary scene and the output of the various Southern Works, both railway products and others, are also captured within these pages. With unbelievable photographs and a breathtaking story, Wartime Southern Part 2 looks in great detail at the railways of this period, capturing their essence in a way never before done. An essential companion to any serious student of the railways, this is one not to be missed