S.C. Townroe wrote a couple of illustrated locomotive histories namely ''The book of the Schools Class'' published in 1947 and one of a series (not exclusively Southern) ''Famous Locomotive Types No 4 King Arthurs & Lord Nelsons of the S.R.'' published in 1949.

''Locomotive Engineers of the Southern Railway'' was written by Ben Webb and published in 1946 and included brief biographies of Southern Chief Mechanical Engineers and those of its constituents.

Locomotive surveys
F. Burtt wrote a number of delightful illustrated publications providing information on the engines of the pre-grouping companies:

• SE & CR Locomotives, A Survey 1874 –, 1923 published in 1947.
• LSWR Locomotives, A Survey 1873 – 1922 published in 1950.
• LB&SCR Locomotives, A Survey 1870 – 1927.

Pre Ian Allan ABC
It is believed by many that Ian Allan was the first to publish list of locomotive number however this was not the case.  W.G Tilling had much earlier published a range of illustrated paperback books by Section of the Southern Railway.  The earliest of which I have is titled ''The Locomotives of the Southern Railway (Eastern Section)'' and dated 1928.  I also have ''The Locomotives of the Southern Railway (Western Section)'' dated 1930 and a 4th edition dated 1943 (so would have been in direct competition with the Ian Allan ABC's and ''The Locomotives of the Southern Railway (Central Section)'' dated 1935.