The FedEx man has just dropped me a parcel from Glendale, containing my copy of the newly-published book from Gartenbahn Profi, simply entitled "LOK".
It's a beautifully produced "coffee table book", landscape-format, hardbacked and very heavy and with well over 500 pages.
Basically, it's a pictorial record of (it is claimed) EVERY loco model produced by LGB - including M/LGB - from 1968 to the middle of 2013. As far as I can see, the coverage extends from the very first skateless Stainz right up to the recent Saxon IIk double-ender. I'm not enough of an LGB expert to know if anything at all is missing, but it certainly doesn't look like it - I can well believe that every PRODUCTION variant of every loco that Lehmann made is in there.
The pictures look like many of them are from the original catalogue photos, and I'm guessing that any others have been carefully done to make them look as if they are in the same style as the original publicity ones. Each and every item gets at least a full page photo, while large ones like the Harz 2-10-2s each get a double-page spread. There isn't a great deal of info on each loco, but what there is is useful - especially the number of units produced in the case of special and limited editions. Dates of production are given, along with the pictogram info that appears in the old catalogues (such as the symbols for number of lights, motors, MTS, sound, weight, overall length etc).
The book is divided into separate sections for steam, diesel and electric locos, and all variants of a particular model are grouped together which makes it easy to see how many different types were made and also to compare livery and detail differences between them without too much page-flipping.
This really is a lovely book - yes, it's pure "LGB porn" rather than an in-depth analysis, and those of you who have a good collection of old LGB catalogues may well have seen most of the photos before - but having them all in one place like this is handy, and it's just a beautiful thing to have.
It's available from Modell-Land for 49.99 Euros (plus shipping of course), but Glendale have them over here for £39.99 (again plus courier) which is very reasonable - I'm sure most other UK traders will also have copies in stock, but watch you don't get over-charged - I've already seen a couple of copies on eBay at inflated prices. I believe that the print run is relatively small (1000 copies?), so unless there is a very quick reprint, these could easily become quite collectable.
Verdict? A pure luxury, far from essential but a lovely product and a must for those who love their LGB!
Jon.
PS: forgot to mention, it comes bundled with a "free" 2014 "LOK" Calendar with 13 pictures in the same style as the book, showing some exotic and rare factory specials and one-offs, like the 24-carat-gold plated versions of the Saxon IVk and the Harz 2-10-2....
It's a beautifully produced "coffee table book", landscape-format, hardbacked and very heavy and with well over 500 pages.
Basically, it's a pictorial record of (it is claimed) EVERY loco model produced by LGB - including M/LGB - from 1968 to the middle of 2013. As far as I can see, the coverage extends from the very first skateless Stainz right up to the recent Saxon IIk double-ender. I'm not enough of an LGB expert to know if anything at all is missing, but it certainly doesn't look like it - I can well believe that every PRODUCTION variant of every loco that Lehmann made is in there.
The pictures look like many of them are from the original catalogue photos, and I'm guessing that any others have been carefully done to make them look as if they are in the same style as the original publicity ones. Each and every item gets at least a full page photo, while large ones like the Harz 2-10-2s each get a double-page spread. There isn't a great deal of info on each loco, but what there is is useful - especially the number of units produced in the case of special and limited editions. Dates of production are given, along with the pictogram info that appears in the old catalogues (such as the symbols for number of lights, motors, MTS, sound, weight, overall length etc).
The book is divided into separate sections for steam, diesel and electric locos, and all variants of a particular model are grouped together which makes it easy to see how many different types were made and also to compare livery and detail differences between them without too much page-flipping.
This really is a lovely book - yes, it's pure "LGB porn" rather than an in-depth analysis, and those of you who have a good collection of old LGB catalogues may well have seen most of the photos before - but having them all in one place like this is handy, and it's just a beautiful thing to have.
It's available from Modell-Land for 49.99 Euros (plus shipping of course), but Glendale have them over here for £39.99 (again plus courier) which is very reasonable - I'm sure most other UK traders will also have copies in stock, but watch you don't get over-charged - I've already seen a couple of copies on eBay at inflated prices. I believe that the print run is relatively small (1000 copies?), so unless there is a very quick reprint, these could easily become quite collectable.
Verdict? A pure luxury, far from essential but a lovely product and a must for those who love their LGB!
Jon.
PS: forgot to mention, it comes bundled with a "free" 2014 "LOK" Calendar with 13 pictures in the same style as the book, showing some exotic and rare factory specials and one-offs, like the 24-carat-gold plated versions of the Saxon IVk and the Harz 2-10-2....
What a tome of LGB. It is a whole lot more complete than another recently produced book and a credit to the authors.
