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Kevin Jones' Steam Index

John Maxwell Dunn

Notable as being a railway engineer/enthusiast in the late LNWR/entire LMS period. Most is covered in his exceedingly outspoken autobiography. Also writer of several other books, articles (including one about Webb) and papers. Most closely associated with Beames' 0-8-4Ts and his attempts to keep them on the track. Author of history of Wrexham, Mold & Connah's Quay Railway. Skellon (Bashers, Gadgets..) summarises his career: born Wood Green on 20 February 1898; started apprenticeship at Willesden Junction shed on 9 November 1913. Appointed to Abergavenny in November 1919, became fitter in charge of Blaenavon in November 1928; Junior Foreman Fitter at Llandudno Junction 0n 2 February 1935; Running Shift Foreman at Nuneaton on 25 April 1939; Acting Running Shed Foreman at Coventry on 13 Febrarury 1940 and Running Shed Foreman at Bangor on 4 September 1944. Skellon includes an excellent portrait on the verso title page. He died from a heart attack at Walberton, West Sussex in March 1969. Very fond memoir by Anthony J. Robinson in Dad had an engine shed.

Reflections on a railway career from LNWR to BR. London: Ian Allan, 1966. 184pp.
Very out-spoken autobiography of a fitter who became a shedmaster. It shows that working conditions, esprecially salaries, on the LNWR were vastly inferior to those on the Midland. It discusses Freemasonry on the railways (in spite of the publisher being a well-known Mason) and mentions many names who should be added to steamindex. His contributions on the Beames 0-8-4Ts and working in the Welsh Valleys are well-known. If time permits a few bits will be converted to pdf.

The Wrexham, Mold & Connah's Quay Railway. Lingfield: Oakwood Press, 1957. 32pp. (Oakwood library of railway history, No. 14).
The Chester & Holyhead Railway. South Godstone: 1948. 60pp. (Oakwood library of railway history No. 25).

Talbots's The LNWR recalled: collected writings and observations on the London & North Western Railway. (1987) is greatly enhanced by Dunn's writings, including correspondence with W. Noel Davies

Papers
Locomotive blast pipes and chimneys. J. Instn Loco. Emgrs., 1917, 7, 328-51. Disc.: 352-71. (Paper 56)