B.R.M.N.A.
Publishers of fine railway books
5124 - 33 Street N.W.,
Calgary, Alberta
CANADA, T2L 1V4

After a pause of a couple of years, I have again been well enough to re-commence writing and James Jarvis’ Toronto and Montreal Railway Photography – 1952 was published at the end of July.

While I was in Britain in November 2006, I met Bob Bridger and Mike Hudson who had been asked by Jim Jarvis to find a Canadian publisher for a book using his railway photographs which he had taken in Canada in the early part of 1952. He was an accomplished photographer and all his photographs were taken using the original Kodachrome colour film.  Hence, this is our first all-colour work.  Think of that, how many colour shots do you know which were taken in the early 1950s?     

The Subscribers’ Offer remains suspended but Subscribers with a credit will receive the work immediately it is published.

Donald Bain

October 4th 2007

Phone: (403) 282-8456, Fax: (403) 289-3783,
Internet: brmna@brmna.com

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This work is our first “all colour” book and features the photographs of James Jarvis taken around Spadina and John Street roundhouses in Toronto and west of Windsor Station.  This was very early in the days of colour photography (as far as North American railways were concerned) and the images are crisp with excellent colour reproduction. James was an employee of British Railways on a student scholarship in the U.S. and was afforded free access to the railways’ properties.  As a result, all the shots are clear, uncluttered views of some of Canada’s best known steam locomotives working in and out of the Toronto and Montreal stations.  As with all BRMNA works, each photograph is accompanied with an extensive caption explaining what is shown in the shot, identifying the locomotives, trains, rolling stock, buildings, history of the area, and buildings in the background etc.  A map shows the Toronto Terminals Division and the railways around Toronto.

The Canadian Pacific locomotives include Hudson, No. 2808; Royal Hudsons, Nos. 2855 and 2856; Northern, No. 3100; Pacifics, Nos. 1221, 1224, 1269, 2227, 2400, 2413, 2460, 2468, 2469, 2459, 2471 and 2527; Jubilees, Nos. 2928 and 3002; and Consolidations, Nos. 3437, 3607 and 3714. 

Canadian National engines shown include Mountains, Nos. 6069, 6071; Northerns, Nos. 6144, 6249 and 6402;

Pacifics, Nos. 5565, 5572, 5285, 5592, 5568, and 5284;

Hudsons, 5700 and 5704; Santa Fes, No. 4035, 4101, and 4102; Mikados, No. 3275 and 3709; Mogul, No. 845; 0-6-0 switcher, No. 7215 and Consolidation, No.  2499.  Perhaps the most interesting find of all is a shot of 0-8-0 switcher No. 8419, one of the last steam locomotives acquired by Canadian National (in 1947!!)

Every attempt has been made to provide accurate, interesting data in the captions.  With the wide variety of sources of Canadian National’s locomotives from the constituent companies, detailed histories of the various classes are given.  We are especially pleased that we were able to provide information on Canadian National’s three steam Chiefs of Motive Power and Rolling Stock, namely Charles Edward (Ned) Brooks, John Roberts and Edwin Roy Battley. Men who went relatively unrecognized in their day but designed steam locomotives that lasted until the very end of steam in 1960.

We hope that you like this very interesting work.

Our earlier releases include L.A. Stuckey's Canadian and U.S. Railway Photography 1935 - 1957 and
The British Columbia Railway (Volume Three), which were published in January 2005.

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Canadian Pacific's Mighty No. 8000 and
The Railways of Winnipeg (Volume One) The Formative Years
were published on August 10, 2003.

C.R. Littlebury's Canadian Pacific Railway - 1918 to 1933 and Rails to the Border (Volume Two) were published on July 13, 2002.

For more information on this, see below and go to samples of our work.

B.R.M.N.A. is a Calgary-based publishing company dedicated to preparing low-cost, carefully researched and accurate pictorial reviews of Canadian transport subjects. At the moment, these cover mainly railway topics but our sister company, Kishorn Publications, has produced one work on Canadian Pacific Air Lines, another on Calgary Transit and Greyhound Canada - Its History and Coaches.

We have been in business since 1978 and our two latest railway works Canadian Pacific's Mighty No. 8000 and The Railways of Winnipeg (Volume One) are our 84th and 85th publications.

We are always looking for new titles and are interested in hearing from anyone with suggestions for areas for us to cover. In addition, authors or would-be authors are very welcome to contact us. B.R.M.N.A. is run by transport enthusiasts with a great deal of experience in publishing and basically all we ask is that authors provide the necessary photographs, an accurate sketch map of the area being covered and the captions. A standard book requires a minimum of 25 photographs and the captions should be 300 to 500 words long. The text should be submitted on a 3.5 floppy in PC format so that B.R.M.N.A. personnel can edit the work. Please contact us with your suggestions. Our only provisos are that the project has to be economically viable so we cannot publish anything that deals with too restricted an area. In addition, you have to allow us to edit the work to publication standards.

Click here to see samples of our work

Recent Releases 

L.A. Stuckey's Canadian and U.S. Railway Photography 1935 - 1957 is by Donald Bain.  "Stuck" was one of the best-known railway photographers in the steam era and this book traces his railroad photographic career from its first stumbling shots until he gave up in 1957 as steam disappeared. His carefully planned trips took him through Canada and the northern half of the U.S. He took excellent shots of Selkirks, Texas-types, Confederations, Big Boys, Challengers, Yellowstones, Alleghenies, Bullmooses, etc. and over 100 have been selected for this work.  Each photograph is accompanied by extensive notes for which BRMNA has become famous. 

The British Columbia Railway (Volume Three) by Timothy Horton.  This is the final work in the six-part series which traces the development of the railway from its origins in 1912 up to its 2004 sale to CN. It was an important factor in developing the northern part of the province as well as getting three steam locomotives back into operation. Volume Three covers the years 1990 to 2004.

Canadian Pacific's Mighty No. 8000 describes the introduction, operation and final withdrawal of the largest multipressure steam locomotive in the world.  It was also the most successful and during its five year career from 1931 to 1936 it ran over 50,000 miles, primarily between Revelstoke and Field B.C.  It showed an operating fuel economy of around 15% but was most unreliable.  Crews did not like the idea of having over 1,350 psi on the other side of the backhead and booked off in droves to avoid taking the behemoth out on the road.  Profusely illustrated with many previously unpublished photographs, this work tell an interesting story of part of steam's fight to remain competitive.

The Railways of Winnipeg (Volume One) covers railway development in this city from 1877 to the early years of the 20th Century.  It is a valuable tool in understanding the development of the Canadian West and includes many previously unpublished shots. 

We published C. R. Littlebury's Canadian Pacific Railway 1918 - 1933 and Rails to the Border (Volume Two) on July 13, 2002 and both have sold very well.

Memories of Canadian Pacific Steam Power in British Columbia (Volume Two), Men of Steam, Rails to the Border and The Toronto, Hamilton and Buffalo Railway (Volume Two) came out on June 15, 2001 and all four have been very well received.

Memories of Canadian Pacific Steam Power in British Columbia (Volume Two) was written by Jim Hope and Donald Bain and continues from their very successful Volume One. It concentrates on CP's 4-6-0s, Decapods, Mikados, Santa Fes and Selkirks operating in the area between Field and Kamloops, with side trips to Nelson, Armstrong and Cranbrook.

Rails to the Border (Volume One) by Kevin Holland covers the U.S. owned lines in southern Ontario. These include the NYC, the C&O and the Wabash.

The Toronto, Hamilton & Buffalo Railway (Volume Two) by John Spring completes the story of the bridge line around the eastern side of Lake Ontario. There is a complete roster of all the passenger vehicles to operate on the railway.

Men of Steam by Bill Yeats is a refreshing review of the early careers of both himself and his brother Floyd on the CPR in Calgary. It deals with their experiences as firemen and enginemen in the 1940s and 50s.

Greyhound Canada - Its History and Coaches by Brian Grams and Donald Bain is a 72 page work detailing the developments of Greyhound since it was formed in south eastern British Columbia in 1929. There are over 130 photographs including eight pages of colour and colour covers. There is a time line for the company showing its acquisition of other organizations and a complete roster of vehicles operated. Reaction to the work has been most gratifying and the editor of the Bus History Association referred to it as "superb."

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