Justin Hobson from Fenner Paper has written a brilliant article specifically on the paper, you can read it here. But I’ve made a summarised version for the site.

Supplied by Fenner Paper here in the UK, Lessebo Design Smooth White in 130gsm is from the Lessebo Mill. The Lessebo Mill is located in remote area of southern Sweden called Småland. The mill is named after the town in which the mill is situated (Lessebo) and is surrounded by a rugged terrain full of boulders and dense forests between large shallow lakes. Bruk is the Swedish word for mill, hence Lessebo Bruk. Founded in the middle of the 17th century as an iron mill, it was granted permission by the local government to produce paper in 1693.

The custom making for the British Rail Manual meant that grain direction could head to foot of the book (i.e. parallel to the spine). The grain direction refers to the way the fibres lie in the direction of the paper machine and is one of the most important physical characteristics of a paper. This is important because of the way the paper feels and 'rolls' and the way the text flops and lays open.