This book by David Shepherd’s youngest son-in-law provides a unique insight into the lifelong interest in railways of a man often referred to as ‘the man who paints elephants’.

In compiling this book, the author has drawn on family archives, paintings, drawings and photographs, and private diaries and reminiscences to create a book illustrated with some of the artist’s stunning paintings of steam locomotives.

Published in August 2024 by Amberley Publishing and written by J.C. Jeremy Hobson, this soft-cover book in landscape format measures around 168 mm x 246 mm, and has 128 pages and 100 colour photographs. It has a published price of £19.99, but at the time of writing, it can be purchased for £17.99 from Amberley Publishing and £17.48 from Amazon.

With 13 chapters, the book takes us through David Shepherd’s life, from his time leaving school, where he developed his love of African wildlife, through owning several locomotives, having the audacity to run some on the Army’s Longmoor Military Railway, and founding the East Somerset Railway and for it to become an operational railway.

The income from his wildlife paintings provided funds for him to devote his life to painting and owning steam locomotives. There is even a story of how his love of conservation resulted in Kenneth Kaunda, President of Zambia, gifting David a former South African Railways 4-8-0.

Whilst in Zambezi, David discovered a steam locomotive ‘graveyard’ at the Zambezi Sawmills Railways’, which prompted him to produce many sketches for completion later.

He also received the offer of a South African Railways 4-8-2 in exchange for a painting. The offer was duly accepted and David’s locomotive continues to run on a preservation railway in South Africa.

The book continues by describing how David’s eye for detail extends to model making, how his paintings help charity groups with fundraising, his popularity for TV programmes, and in the final chapter, ‘The End of the Line’, there is an illustration of a stained glass window with images of a Class 9F, an elephant, and a Lancaster bomber, that David’s wife had made for his 80th birthday as a replacement for an old window in their house.

Nothing illustrates David Shepherd’s skill at translating the sound and smell of a steam locomotive to canvas better than his painting Over the Forth on the left below, or his painting On Shed with which he is posing in the centre below.

During his visit to Zambia, David discovered no end of railway-related subjects, none more so than the steam-era ‘graveyard’ he discovered at the Zambezi Sawmills Railway seen on the right below.

The book tells the story of how, at a steam festival in South Africa, David received an offer of a South African Railways 4-8-2 steam locomotive in full working order in exchange for a painting. The painting in question is shown on the left below, and on the right David and his wife, Avril, are pictured at the official handover ceremony.

No book about David Shepherd and his paintings would be complete without a photo such as the one on the right below showing him painting one of his beloved elephants that laid the basis for him living his passion for steam locomotives.

There can be few artists who have achieved fame in such contrasting fields as wildlife and steam railways. Such an achievement shines through in every page of this book, from simple sketches and half-finished works to the grandeur of images that exude the sight and smell of steam.

Throughout the book, stories told by J.C. Jeremy Hobson, who, as well as being the author, is David Shepherd’s youngest son-in-law, provide a surprising insight into ‘the man who painted elephants’.

But the book is not only about David’s paintings as we learn about his active involvement with steam railways, his love of model railways, and how his paintings help so many worthy organisations.

The book’s text and images are well supported by good-quality paper, excellent photo reproductions, and benefits from being presented in landscape format.

It is worth every penny of the purchase price, a wonderful tribute to a great artist, and there is no hesitation in recommending this volume as a worthy addition to any railway or art-lovers bookshelf and awarding it a rating of 5/5.

The book is available to purchase from Amazon and Amberley Publishing.

We would like to thank Amberley Publishing for providing RailAdvent with a copy of the book for review.