New titles now available

Two new titles were published on 1 March 2008. Rendel's Floating Bridges is about the invention of those ingenious structures, early in the nineteenth-century, that made river crossings easier in many parts of the country, and which still survive at Torpoint and at half-a-dozen other locations in the UK. Tacky's Tugs tells all about the Torpoint firm of W J Reynolds Ltd who operated the last fleet of coal-fired steam tugs in Britain, and who were one of the last companies in Devon and Cornwall to use heavy horses on a full commercial basis, amongst other things. Both these books are 144 pages and in a card covered format that enables us to sell them at a modest £12.50 each.

Both books were launched at Torpoint Library on 1 March at a very well attended and successful event. Many of Reynolds' former employees were there as well as a number of our authors. Afterwards we went on a short walk along the waterfront when Alan Kittridge and Stephen Carter pointed out items of interest from their books.

2007 titles

North Devon Clay, by Michael Messenger, was originally published in 1982 but has been fully revised and contains much additional information about the North Devon ball-clay industry and its unique railways. Many of the 168 illustrations have not been published before.

Dealing with the steamer fleet of British Railways after nationalisation and before privatisation Railway Ships and Packet Ports contains no less than 245 stunning ilustrations, most published for the first time.

Email abuse

Some person has found it amusing to use our email address to send out vast quantities of junk emails. Most are rejected and clutter up our in-box but if you have been a recipient please be assured they do not originate from us. The internet can be a wonderful resource but is spoilt by mindless vandalism.

ISBNs have changed

From 1 January 2007 ISBN numbers changed from 10 digits to 13, with the prefix 978 added. This recalculates the whole number and the new numbers for our current titles are shown on the appropriate pages. Our books published prior to this date will continue to carry the old 10 digit number, which is printed in them, and for clarity we are also showing the old number in these pages. This mainly affects the book trade and we continue to know our books by name not number, as we do our customers.

Plaudits

We don't need to blow our own trumpet, as others do so for us. This what Neil Parkhouse said in Archive magazine when reviewing Steamers & Ferries of the River Tamar & Three Towns District, by Alan Kittridge:

'You know what to expect these days from Twelveheads, and this does not disappoint. This is a superb piece of work, which should find favour with many general transport enthusiasts and those interested in this most picturesque region, as well as with the maritime and river shipping fraternity . . . heartily recommended.'