Ian Allan's Trains Card Game, Pepys Series
First Published: 1962, Pepys Series Castell Brothers Ltd., St. Cross Street, London
Illustrator or Designer: Ian Allan Ltd.
Contents: 44 Cards + Rules Booklet
The game is based on two major railway routes between Scotland and London: the London Midland Region "Royal Scot" Euston to Glasgow and the Eastern Region "Flying Scotsman" Kings Cross to Edinburgh. Each has 2 Route cards and 4 Station cards. There are also 32 Travel cards showing a mileage figure from minus ten to fifty.
Trains cards: LM Route cards and Stations, Rugby, Crewe, Preston and Carlisle.
Trains cards: E Route cards and Stations, Peterboro', Grantham, York, Newcastle.
Trains cards: Mileage cards: -10 Flooding, -5 Fog, 5 Sharp Curve, 5 Hand Signals, 5 Relaying (P.W. Check), 5 Heavy Gradient (Banking Assistance), 10 Caution Signal, 20 Upgrade, 20 Permanent Speed Restriction, 25 Dead Level (Water Trough), 40 Clear Road, 50 Galloping Ground.
Trains was boxed and promoted as "Ian Allan's game for Locospotters and Railway Enthusiasts". Ian Allan (1922-2015) was a major authority and publisher of books on transport, particularly railways. He founded Ian Allan Publishing in 1942 and turned Locospotting (Trainspotting) into a national pastime. Ian Allan Publishing provided some of their famously accurate illustrations for these cards.
One of the many magazines founded by Ian Allan was Trains Illustrated which merged in 1962 with a new Ian Allan magazine Modern Railways, still going strong today with a different publisher. These and examples of the Locospotters' Annual and Trains Annual 1963 are below. The cover for the Trains Annual is by Terence Cuneo.
At some point after 1962 Castell Brothers address changed from 14/17 St. Cross Street to 15/17 St Cross Street. The two examples of the rules below were published as this change took place. I am not sure whether Castell's gave up their lease on Number 14 or whether a single property was renumbered by the Post Office. When I find firm evidence for why the change was made I will share it here.
Both addresses can also be found in two sets of rules in Wild Flower Sevens on this site.
Game & Version Details
 | Trains - Card Back |
 | Trains - Rules Front |
 | Trains - Rules Back Games Advertised: Speed The Car Game Goal! Dan Dare |
 | Trains - Rules Front Later Variant |
 | Trains - Rules Back Later Variant Games Advertised: Speed The Car Game Goal! |
 | Trains - Box Back |
 | Trains - Box Top |
 | Trains - Box Side Left |
 | Trains - Box Base Envelope Style |
 | Trains - Box Side Right |
 | Trains - Box Back With Flap |