FAMILY History rings the changes this week with two publications from Amberley, of Gloucestershire, both of which may interest readers of an historical bent.

Anything to do with pre-Beeching rail will always find a willing reception, and Peter Tuffrey, who first published a book on the subject in 1989, has returned to it with an expanded and revised version of West Yorkshire Railway Stations (www.amberley-books.com, £16.99).

Interestingly, rather than make a narrative of the history of rail expansion and contraction in our area, Peter has listed the stations alphabetically, noting the dates of the opening – and more often not the closure – of each.

In the process he’s collected a great number of photographs: enthusiasts can see how Batley, Berry Brow, Brighouse, Brockholes, Clayton West, Cooper Bridge, Deighton, Healey House, Kirkheaton, Kirkburton, Netherton, Ripponden, Skelmanthorpe and Thongsbridge stations looked in their heyday.

These are but a small selection of the pictures, and a bare glance at the detail, that Peter has amassed.

IF tastes for railway history have been whetted rather than sated, another book from Peter now steams nobly into view: Yorkshire People and Railways (Amberley again – £12.99).

Peter, as a collector of old photographs, must have been delighted to renew acquaintance with Peter Charlton, now editor of the Yorkshire Post.

This meeting gave the author access to the newspaper’s voluminous archives.

Many of the pictures in the book are pin-sharp, having been scanned from large scale glass negatives.

Many others come from YP staff photographers, and each is accompanied by an interesting and often off-beat caption.

The chapter heading give more than a clue to content.

Lineside, Staff, Railway Crashes, On Shed And Works, and Yorkshire’s Railway Heritage Centres are among the titles.