Draft:Peter's Railway (book series)

🔥 Yes I'mOnFire 🔥( ContainThis Ember? ) 08:23, 15 August 2023 (UTC)

Peter's Railway is a series of 20 books primarily for children, written and published by engineer Christopher Vine between 2008 and 2018. By 2018, 250,000 copies had been sold.

Besides the book series, Peter's Railway also has associated Young Engineers Centres which are based at some heritage railways across the UK. Additionally, there is an associated YouTube channel which, amongst other videos, also features the author's own engine on which the locomotive in the Peter's Railway books is based.

The Peter's Railway series
The books which combine real engineering with adventures and historical true stories, which are centred around a locomotive called Fiery Fox. They are mostly set at Woodland Cottage, where a young boy named Peter lives along with his siblings Kitty and Harry, and also Crossacres Farm, the home of the children's grandparents. The two homes are separated by empty fields and Bluebell Wood, but since the first book have been connected by their own miniature railway.

The stories recount the adventures of Grandpa and the children on their railway, as hey often get into scrapes and overcome challenges, some of which remind Grandpa of true stories from the older days of the railways. Some of the books are also centred around the building and extending of their railway.

One of the key features of the books are the 'how-it-works' pages, which describe to the reader the engineering side of what they have just read. These pages are not integral to the storyline, but add something extra for those who wish to understand how it works whereas the stories help to bring the engineering to life.

Target audience
The books in the Peter's Railway series are split into different types with the shortest, more gentle stories being aimed at readers aged 3-6; the more technical paperbacks, often involving engineering or with links to true stories, being aimed at ages 6-12; and the longer chapter-formatted hardbacks being aimed at ages 6-12. Together they have been written for children who may have 'outgrown' some of the younger stories about trains but still wish to continue reading about their passion with the technical side intended to educate young people in STEM and to keep them interested.

Peter's Railway book titles
The Peter's Railway books consist of 6 hardback books, 9 paperback books, 4 'little Peter's Railway' books, and a corresponding activity book. They are written by Chris Vine and illustrated by John Wardle.

=== Hardback series of Peter's Railway (in-depth stories with science and engineering) : === The hardback Peter's Railway books consist of longer stories about Peter's Railway for ages 6-12 and up, which progress chronologically through the series. The unique aspect about this series of books is that, besides the main story, the books also contain lots of simple but accurate technical pages with accessible engineering information on how locomotives work, and also the track, wagons, points, bearings, and much more.
 * 1) Peter's Railway - A New Railway  (The building of the railway between Woodland Cottage and Crossacres to connect their homes.)
 * 2) Peter's Railway and the Moonlight Express  (After visiting the Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch Railway, they set about building a loop line and turntable. Peter also learns to drive the engine.)
 * 3) Peter's Railway and the Forgotten Engine (A traction engine is discovered, the line is extended, and the 'Great Train Race' is organised.)
 * 4) Peter's Railway to the Rescue (Peter, his Grandpa, and Fiery Fox come to the rescue in both snow and floods, and a waterwheel is constructed to generate electricity.)
 * 5) Peter's Railway Hits the Jackpot  (Peter and Grandpa are asked if they could build an extension to the village to take children to school, saving fuel and pollution, but first they must raise the money.)
 * 6) Peter's Railway - Racing Trains (Grandpa and the children complete a small steam locomotive, and then find out how fast it can go, learning more again about the physics behind it.)

=== Paperback series of Peter's Railway (short stories, true tales, science and engineering) === The paperback Peter's Railway books consist of shorter standalone stories about Peter's Railway for ages 6-12, and up. These books feature short stories about Peter's Railway and Fiery Fox but also include true stories of the railway's past as told by Grandpa, and/or events that help to explain STEM themes such as where energy comes from. All the books include illustrations and some include technical diagrams explaining the concepts mentioned.
 * 1) Peter's Railway - A Bit of Energy   (Exploring where coal comes from and how steam engines work.)
 * 2) Peter's Railway - A Dark and Stormy Night   (Featuring a true story, told by Grandpa, of an accident near Hythe long ago on the Southern Railway (UK))
 * 3) Peter's Railway - Now and Then   (A story which also includes a true tale told by Grandpa that had happened long ago on the Glasgow & South Western Railway in Scotland)
 * 4) Peter's Railway - A Big Smellie Bogie  (Including a true tale, from Grandpa, about an unlucky engine which had happened on the Glasgow & South Western Railway many years ago.)
 * 5) Peter's Railway - Molten Metal  (Peter and Grandpa build a new battery-powered engine for the railway from scrap.)
 * 6) Peter's Railway - Holiday at Lunan Bay   (Peter is on holiday with his family in Scotland when Grandpa learns of a spectacular train crash in 1958 in Lunan, Scotland where fortunately nobody was hurt.)
 * 7) Peter's Railway - The Great Train Robbery   (An adventure on the farm railway, in the middle of the night where Peter, Harry and Kitty foil a robbery. This book also explores how to construct a home-made burglar alarm in its technical page.)
 * 8) Peter's Railway - Rain, Steam and Speed   (A rainstorm inspires Grandpa to tell another of his hair-raising true stories from the railways of long ago, this time about locomotive driver Bill Hoole and the LNER Class A4 4902 Seagull locomotive.)
 * 9) Peter's Railway - The Four Seasons   (Life on Peter's Railway throughout the different seasons.)

=== Little Peter's Railway Books (tales for younger readers) === The Little Peter's Railway paperback books consist of shorter standalone stories about Peter's Railway for ages 3-6+. These books feature short gentle family stories about Peter, Harry, Kitty and Grandpa with Fiery Fox on Peter's Railway. All of the books include illustrations painted by John Wardle.
 * 1) Peter's Railway - Christmas Steam  (The children build a grotto on the line and meet Santa Claus)
 * 2) Peter's Railway - Surprise Goods  (A bedtime story with a mystery train)
 * 3) Peter's Railway - The Picnic  (The children go out for a picnic lunch on the railway with Grandpa)
 * 4) Peter's Railway - Grandpa Goes Bananas  (Having fun overnight at a railway museum)

=== Other associated books : ===
 * 1) Peter's Railway Activity Book  (An activity book featuring various activities, puzzles and riddles for Peter's Railway fans)
 * 2) How (not) to paint a locomotive  (A book for adults about the author's experiences painting Bongo, the author's engine)

Peter's Railway and STEM education
As a qualified and passionate chartered engineer, author Chris Vine is passionate about STEM and helping children to access engineering and science in an accessible way, both through his Peter's Railway series of books, technical posters, and also other initiatives linked to the series such as Young Engineer Centres at Heritage Railways, visits to Heritage Railways, and an educational and entertaining YouTube channel.

Free Books for Schools initiative

The educational aspect of the book series has been used in an initiative to teach primary school children about STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths). In 2017, three of the books from the Peter's Railway series were sent out to all 24,000 primary schools in the UK as part of a STEM project funded by Nick Jarmany, CEO of Quixant plc, a gaming company. The aim of the venture was, "to encourage a growing interest in STEM subjects, and through this early interest to encourage more girls and boys to pursue exciting technical careers."



Young Engineers' Centres at Heritage Railways

In 2014, the first Peter's Railway Young Engineers Centre was opened at Severn Valley Railway. The aim of the exhibition/room is to tell youngsters about engineering with displays and interactive machines.

In 2016, a second Peter’s Railway Young Engineer’s Centre was opened at one of the biggest preserved railways in England, the North Yorkshire Moors Railway at Pickering. The event was opened to the public by Professor Folkston of the Institution of Mechanical EngineersThe Young Engineers Centre incorporates a number of STEM activities that bring science and engineering to families including:
 * Blow up a Grown-Up
 * Spin the Dynamo
 * Pull the Ropes
 * Light the Lamp
 * Ring the Block Bell
 * Blow the Pipe
 * Block the Line
 * Lift the Weights
 * Spring the Springs

Young Engineers Days at Heritage Railways

Besides static Young Engineers Centres, there have also been special Young Engineer Days held at other heritage railways across the UK such as at the Strathspey Railway, Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway.and the Isle of Wight Railway. The activities are different at each of the heritage railways but often include 'behind the scenes' access and are aimed at getting young people interested in STEM and in heritage railways. Such events include climbing onto the footplate; footplate rides; learning how the signal box works; and listening to a Peter's Railway story or having a picnic on the train.

School and community visits

In 2018, as in the previous two years, in an initiative with the Isle of Man Railways, Chris Vine was invited to the Isle of Man to speak to schoolchildren about the railways there over the course of a week. During the visit, primary schools were able to listen to a talk by Chris Vine, have a visit behind-the-scenes at the railway, use a train simulator, and learn how tools and equipment are used, how locomotives function, how carriages are restored and maintained, and how signals operate. Chris Vine also paid a visit to each school to help them construct lengths of tracks that were put on display at Douglas Railway Station during the family 'Peter’s Railway Day', the culmination of the week long visit that included displays, a chance to ride on the locomotives, storytelling activities and a chance to meet and chat with Chris.

Andy Cowie, Head of Engineering for Isle of Man Transport, had commented, "Chris’s previous visits have really captivated and inspired the children he met and we are delighted that he has returned to enthuse and educate more young people in the operation of our railway."

Literary festivals

Besides being established at, and visiting, heritage railway centres with STEM events, the author, Chris Vine, has also taken Peter's Railway to various literary festivals such as that at Marking Deeping and to Locomotion in Shildon.

Peter's Railway - YouTube

The author also has an active STEM and railway-themed YouTube channel with over 2500 subscribers which includes videos featuring Bongo (the inspiration for Fiery Fox) such as explanatory videos on 'How to raise steam on a locomotive at Peter's Railway' aimed at both readers and railway enthusiasts; as well as others about how he has built and developed the garden railway line (the first inspiration for Peter's Railway). Further videos include 'slow train TV' and old clips of the author as a child and young engineer himself.

About the author, Chris Vine - and Bongo


Chris Vine's Peter's Railway books are all centred around an engine named Fiery Fox. His inspiration for Fiery Fox was first fired up by his creation of his engine Bongo. which then led him to create first a book for adult model engine enthusiasts, followed by a series of books for children combining stories and engineering.

Bongo - the real life Fiery Fox of Peter's Railway

Chris Vine is a professional chartered engineer and a railway enthusiast. The Peter's Railway books were inspired by a friend's garden railway in 7 1⁄4" gauge, which Chris Vine now owns himself. Several of the place names within the books are inspired by places he knows, as are the characters whilst events are often, but not always, inspired by real events.

He has built and painted his own steam locomotive, named 'Bongo' - an engine named after a type of antelope. The engine is a one-eighth scale model based on an LNER B1 class steam locomotive of the same name, and numbered 8306.

Model Engineer Exhibition winner - and a step into book publishing

Chris Vine won a gold medal at the 2004 Model Engineer Exhibition and also the Charles Kennion Memorial Trophy for the best finished model in the show in London for his work building and painting 'Bongo'. It was the chief judge, Ivan Law, who then persuaded Chris Vine to write his first book detailing the process that he went though in creating Bongo. This first book was for adults and was titled, 'How (not) to Paint a Locomotive' and published in 2006.

His first children's book, 'Peter's Railway' was then published 2 years later in 2008 with Bongo as the inspiration for Fiery Fox in the Peter's Railway series.

Bongo features in Flying Scotsman documentaryIn 2018, Chris Vine (along with Bongo) also featured in a Channel 5 documentary called 'The Unstoppable Flying Scotsman', presented by Rob Bell.