Anthony Edward Durrant

Born 1929. Was living in Sunbury-on-Thames in 1939. He was evacuated to near Culham in Oxfordshire. Apprenticeship at Swindon Works from 1945. National service in R.E.M.E. Moved to East Africa to work with steam. Known as Dusty Durrant. Very fond of wild doodles such as 2-14-2T for working iron ore traffic to Ebbw Vale. Autobiography Swindon apprentice

Garratt locomotives of the world. Newton Abbot: David & Charles, 1981. 207pp.
Based on earlier The Garratt locomotive.
The Mallet locomotive. Newton Abbot: David & Charles, 1974. 144pp. bibliog. (David & Charles Locomotive Studies)
Relatively thin coverage of a large subject: includes the remarkable Dutch mallets used in Java (Indonesia) and the huge Challengers and Big Boys, the latter of which could produce 8,000 dhp or 10,000 cylinder horse power.
Swindon apprentice. Cheltenham: Runpast, 1989. 216pp.
Autobiographical: Ottley 16744. Reviewed Rly Wld, 1990, 51, 218 Chapter 9: The Churchward legend adds considerably to underestanding of Churchward's international standing. At the bottom of thge page is a quotation of a childhood journey into the Norfolk Fens. As well as outdoing Tuplin in terms of extraordinary proposed locomotives he called the LMS mobile testing unit "like hauling a couple of tramcars backwards in full fore gear"..

There are other books and contributions to books

In 1908 we removed from the Glasgow district to Cambridgeshire, where in the.little market town of Wisbech we had the choice of two railways and a steam tram. The Railways were the Great Eastern, whose blue engines were not so attractive to northern eyes as the more familiar Caledonian blue, and the Midland & Great Northern Joint Railway whose ochre-coloured engines made a pleasing contrast. The Wisbech & Upwell Tramway, a steam operated concern, was, even in those far-off days, a museum piece. The engines were for the most part encased in a timber structure so that, save for the wheels, they were almost indistinguishable 'from the passenger vehicles, which I hesitate to call carriages; they were more like a primitive form of brake van. To ride in one on a market day was undoubtedly an experience. Imagine a small boy wedged uncomfortably between two massive countrywomen each with her baskets of produce for sale in Wisbech market. Opposite would be similar characters including a few old men smoking short cutties filled with a shag or twist of indescribable pungency; added to this was the smell of hot human bodies and before long the atmosphere was distinctly thick. Yes! it was an experience to travel by the Wisbech & Upwell Tramway.

2013-06-08
homepage