Buses, trams and commercial vehicles Books
Pen & Sword Books Ltd A History of Kepstowe Freight Services Ltd.
Book SynopsisThe long-haul overland run to the old Soviet Union, prior to Perestroika, Glasnost and the collapse of communism under Gorbachov back in the 1980s and 90s, has never really been documented in a book. Other than an occasional tale of the difficulties involved verbalised in pub conversations, and passed by word of mouth to those who might be interested enough to listen, it would never see the light of day. This tome is an excellent attempt by the author, Mat Ireland, to put that lack of the written word to rights. There have been a numerous books published about the Golden Era' of overland haulage to the Middle East. But while that particular adventure was taking place, there were other frontiers' being quietly breached and explored by hauliers pursuing a different market. This book is the story of just such a transport company, Kepstowe Freight. Sometimes known as the alternative Middle East', the overland routes into the old Soviet Union have never had their story recorded in print, yet they were just as gruelling on the driver and machine as any trips to the Arabian Peninsula or Iran. Whereas most people's perception of the Middle East is all sunshine and sand, the same people's perception of Russia is often all snow and freezing temperatures. Of course, neither picture is the total truth and the overbearing heat, arid climes and loneliness of the central Russian steppes could easily rival the desertification of Syria and Iraq. Kepstowe Freight was one of the British companies pioneering these early journeys behind the Iron Curtain into the dark, scary' world of Soviet Union communism. Featuring mostly previously unseen photographs, A History of Kepstowe Freight Services Ltdrepeats drivers' recollections about their escapades and adventures into a land rarely visited by western society, and their attempts at dealing with the inherent corruption, horrendous roads and unpredictable weather along the way. It goes on to show how exponentially rapidly the country changed after its 1990 collapse, with the accompanying culture shock to the populace and especially to the transport system.
£23.99
Unique Publishing Services Ltd The Baby Grands
a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.
£12.34
Unique Publishing Services Ltd Croydon Trams
a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.
£11.69
Amberley Publishing London Routemasters in the Late 1970s and Early
Book SynopsisAn illustrated look at the Routemaster which is an iconic London bus, recognised around the world, from the late 1970s to early 1980.
£14.39
Key Publishing Ltd Buses Yearbook 2026
a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.
£999.99
Amberley Publishing ZEBs
a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.
£14.39
Amberley Publishing A History of Bus Operators in Preston
a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.
£14.39
Island Press Better Buses, Better Cities: How to Plan, Run,
Book SynopsisImagine a bus system that is fast, frequent, and reliable, what would that change about where you live? Buses can and should be the cornerstone of urban transportation. They offer affordable mobility and can connect citizens with every aspect of their lives. But in the UK, and US they have long been an afterthought in budgeting and planning. With a compelling narrative and actionable steps, Better Buses, Better Cities inspires us to fix the bus. Transport expert Steven Higashide shows us what a successful bus system looks like with real-world stories of reform, such as Houston redrawing its bus network overnight, and San Francisco revamping its boarding procedures. Higashide shows how to marshal the public in support of better buses and how new technologies can keep buses on time and make complex transit systems understandable. Higashide argues that better bus systems will create better cities for all citizens. The consequences of subpar transport services fall most heavily on vulnerable members of society. Transport systems should be planned to be inclusive and provide better service for all. These are difficult tasks that require institutional culture shifts; doing all of them requires resilient organisations and transformational leadership. Better bus service is key to making our cities better for all citizens. Better Buses, Better Cities describes how decision-makers, philanthropists, activists, and public agency leaders can work together to make the bus a win in any city.
£18.99
Amberley Publishing Crosville in Liverpool
Book SynopsisAn illustrated history of Crosville and its buses in Liverpool from the start of operations in the 1920s to closure of its depot in 1987.
£14.39
Amberley Publishing Bus Breakers of the UK
Book SynopsisA second look at this popular part of the bus scene, with rare and previously unpublished photographs.
£14.39
Capital Transport Publishing Londons Classic Red Buses
Book Synopsis
£23.75
Amberley Publishing Bournemouth Corporation Transport and Yellow Buses
Book SynopsisAn illustrated history of Bournemouth Corporation Transport and Yellow Buses from its beginnings in 1902 to its end in 2022.
£14.39
Amberley Publishing Lorries in Britain The 2000s
Book SynopsisPacked with rare and unpublished images, this book celebrates the British lorry and road haulage scene of the 2000s.
£14.39
Amberley Publishing Londons Titans
a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.
£14.39
Amberley Publishing Passengers Citizens Consumers
Book SynopsisThe history of Londonâs transport in the second half of the twentieth century from the novel perspective of the passengersâ experience.
£16.99
Amberley Publishing Plaxton The Panorama and Panorama Elite Years
Book SynopsisUtilising previously unpublished photographs, Howard Berry tells the story of Plaxton-bodied buses and coaches.
£14.39
Amberley Publishing Duple The Dominant Era
Book SynopsisUtilising previously unpublished photographs, Howard Berry tells the story of Duple-bodied buses and coaches.
£14.39
Amberley Publishing Dublin Buses
Book SynopsisIn a tour of the fascinating and colourful city, Richard Walter describes the transformation of Dublin Buses with previously unpublished images.
£14.39
Key Publishing Ltd Merseyside Transport: The 1950s - 1970s
Book SynopsisMerseyside can claim, with some justification, to have provided the transport enthusiast with a greater variety of transport modes than anywhere else in Britain. By the 1950s, with many long-standing scenes about to disappear, photographers began faithfully to record what they saw in colour. It is these images, including road, rail, sea and other modes of transport, that illustrate this nostalgic pictorial portrait of key aspects of the richly varied scene. Taking the reader on a journey from Liverpool and its suburbs to Birkenhead and Wallasey, with one small detour to include views of the remarkable Runcorn Transporter Bridge, this book gives a full-colour view of the historic transport that was part of the Merseyside townscape from the 1950s to the 1970s.
£13.49
Amberley Publishing Park Ride Bus Services
Book SynopsisTerrific photos documenting this unsung part of the bus scene. Taking a look at some of the Park & Ride buses that have worked in selected English towns and cities since the 1970s.
£14.39
Amberley Publishing Leylands Big Cat Coaches
Book SynopsisThis, the first in a series of books showcasing the products of the passenger division of Leyland since 1960 with previously unpublished images of Leyland coaches.
£13.49
Amberley Publishing Lorries in Britain The 1980s
Book SynopsisWith rare and previously unpublished images showcasing the 1980s lorry scene throughout Great Britain.
£14.39
Amberley Publishing South Wales and West Wales Buses in the Early
Book SynopsisA photographic celebration, mostly previously unpublished, of the bus scene in South and West Wales in the 1960s.
£14.39
Amberley Publishing Londons Citaro Buses
Book SynopsisA highly illustrated celebration of the variety of Citaro buses that have worked on London's routes.
£14.39
Amberley Publishing Plaxton The Supreme Years
Book SynopsisA fond photographic tribute to the Supreme era of Plaxton coaches. Photographs all taken during their operating heyday.
£14.39
Amberley Publishing Buses of Wiltshire and Dorset
Book SynopsisA fascinating illustrated overview of the evolution of the bus scene within the areas of Wiltshire and Dorset.
£14.39
Amberley Publishing Arriva in Essex and Kent
Book SynopsisRare and previously unpublished photographs looking at the history of Arriva buses in Essex and Kent.
£14.39
Amberley Publishing Potteries Motor Traction The Red and Yellow Years
Book SynopsisWith rare and previously unpublished images, explore a nostalgic look back at this popular stoke bus operator.
£14.39
Amberley Publishing Buses in the Midlands 1990s and 2000s
Book SynopsisA photographic celebration of the local bus scene. This book looks at numerous coaching operations as they criss-cross this centrally located region.
£14.39
Amberley Publishing British Atlanteans
Book SynopsisThe Leyland Atlantean was in production from 1958 until 1986 and around 15,300 buses of the type were built over this period. Whilst over 3,500 were exported abroad, the remainder gave sterling service to over a hundred different operators in the UK.
£14.39
Amberley Publishing Edwards Coaches
Book SynopsisA celebration of 100 years of Edwards Coaches, the largest family owned and independent public transport operator in South Wales.
£14.39
Amberley Publishing Isle of Wight and Central South Coast Buses
Book SynopsisMatt Cooper explores the ever-changing bus operations on the Isle of Wight and central South Coast from the late 1990s.
£14.39
Amberley Publishing Essex Buses in the 1960s and Early 1970s
Book SynopsisPhilip Wallis chronicles the great variety of operators and buses to be found in Essex before National Bus Company standardisation set in.
£14.39
Amberley Publishing Scenic North Wales Bus Journeys
a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.
£14.39
Pen & Sword Books Ltd British Trolleybus Systems Wales Midlands and
Book SynopsisGood Illustrations, Informative Text, Useful to Modellers, Interesting Long Captions
£24.00
Pen & Sword Books Ltd The London DM and DMS Buses Two Designs Ill
Book SynopsisJIM BLAKE'S latest book on London's buses may come as a surprise, since he usually concentrated on older vehicles in the fleet. However, the unpopular, unsuccessful DMs and DMSs were still part of London Transport's history, so he recorded them too, particularly towards the end of the short working lives. Forced by central government to buy off-the-peg standard manufacturers' products, rather than their own tried and trusted designs, LT opted for Daimler Fleetlines for their first fleet of one-man-operated double-deckers. Optimistically christened Londoners when they first entered service in January 1971, they instantly became unpopular with passengers, staff and bus enthusiasts alike. Their square, box-like appearance and bland all-over red livery did not endear them to the latter. Passengers used to boarding buses immediately with fares collected or tickets checked by a conductor objected to waiting at termini until the driver appeared and opened their doors, and having to queue at
£21.25
Pen & Sword Books Ltd Buses in the Border Towns of London Country
Book SynopsisLondon Transport was created in 1933 with monopoly powers. Not only did it have exclusive rights to run bus (and tram and trolleybus) services in the Greater London area, it also ran services in a Country Area all around London. Green Line express services linked the country towns to London and in most cases across to other country towns the other side of the metropolis. This country area extended north as far as Hitchin, east to Brentwood, south to Crawley and west to Windsor.But what of the towns at the edge of the country area? Here the green London Transport buses would meet the bus companies whose operations extended across the rest of the counties of Berkshire, Surrey, Kent etc. In some cases the town was at a node where more than one company worked in. Elsewhere, such as at Guildford there were local independent operators who had a share in the town services.It would all change from 1970 when the London Transport Country Area was transferred to the National Bus Company to form a
£28.00
Amberley Publishing Stagecoach South West
Book SynopsisLooking at the famous operator, Stagecoach South West, with previously unpublished images documenting the company's buses.
£14.39
Key Publishing Ltd London Bus Routes One by One: 301-969
Book SynopsisFollowing on from London Bus Routes One by One: 1-100, London Bus Routes One by One: 101-200 and London Bus Routes One by One: 201-300, this fourth volume in the series investigates those routes with the highest numbers used today. In times of old, the numbers 300-499 were restricted to the green buses of the old London Transport Country Area, with 200-399 covering the territory north of the river and 400-499 covering the territory to its south. Since the hiving-off of those operations, these numbers have been freed, and increasingly, they have been used to sectionalize longer routes, which have come up against London's relentless traffic and thus needed to be shortened again and again. Some, as might be expected, denote out-of-the-way minibus routes, but others, such as 390, work in busy central London. Though the higher-numbered routes have been around for less time overall, they too have been subject to the whims of tendering, with many regularly changing operators. As in previous volumes, a potted history of each route is accompanied by routeing details and one or two pictures of the kind of bus that operates on that route. Illustrated with over 190 color photographs, this volume represents an up-to-date snapshot of the fascinating modern London bus scene as it stands in autumn 2021.
£14.39
Mortons Media Group London Buses, Coaches & Recollections, 1970: 2020
Book Synopsis
£7.60
Granta Books The Bus We Loved: London's Affair With The
Book SynopsisIn December 2005, London lost one its most famous symbols: the Routemaster bus - a bus designed and made in London, by Londoners for Londoners, which was to London what the gondola is to Venice. In terms of postcards, books, films and cheap souvenirs, and in the eyes of the world, the Routemaster represented the city just as much as Big Ben. It was the last bus to be have conductors as well as drivers, the last bus to ring familiar shouts that are at least a century old: 'Fares please,' 'Full up inside but room on top,' 'Next stop the British Museum'! The last bus, in other words, to be a proper bus. In this fond history, Travis Elborough tells the story of the Routemaster's invention, rise and decline, of the people who worked on it and of the enthusiasts who were mad about it. The streets will never be the same again.Trade ReviewRevised to include the Routemaster's Last Run on 9 December 2005 A London best-seller- over 12,000 copies sold in hardback 'Elborough's book will please bus lovers... as well as cultural historians' Sukhdev Sandhu, Daily Telegraph 'A charming account of the capital's enduring affair with its favourite piece of transport' Daily Mail 'This quirky book looks at the Routemaster in a completely different way to other publications relating to this iconic bus... a light-hearted read that will amuse as well as tell the story of one of London's best loved buses' Bus Fayre 'Elborough's love for the Routemaster bus and all who travel in her is unbounded' Magnus Mills, The Times
£11.07
Key Publishing Ltd The Go-Ahead Group: The First 25 Years
Book SynopsisGo-Ahead began life as the Gateshead-based Go-Ahead Northern bus company after the privatisation of the National Bus Company in 1987. Early expansion saw the acquisition of a number of smaller bus operators in the North East. During the 1990s, it entered London, where it rapidly became the largest provider of bus services in the UK capital. It has subsequently acquired operations across England. Rail privatisation has presented another opportunity for the group and it currently operates Govia Thameslink Railway, comprising Thameslink, Southern and Great Northern as well as South Eastern. More recently, it has established an overseas presence and runs buses in Singapore and Dublin along with rail services in Germany and Norway. All of these are franchised operations. The Group continues to believe that public transport is best managed locally and its operating companies all retain local management and identities. Illustrated with over 150 colour illustrations, this book looks at its first 25 years in detail with a brief update of developments since then.
£13.49
Fox Chapel Publishers International Beyond the Bosphorus: British Drivers on the
Book SynopsisThe Middle East has always been one of the most challenging destinations for lorry drivers. In the 1970s and 80s, many drivers may not have even heard of the destinations they were sent to before heading out eastwards. Along the way they endured extreme weather conditions, bureaucratic nightmares, and the physical trials of keeping themselves and their trucks operational over many thousands of miles of poorly maintained and dangerous roads. Their adventures have become legendary within the trucking world.In this book Dave Bowers tells with humour and insight the amazing stories of people driving to Middle East destinations, battling against all the odds to deliver their loads. The inspiration comes from his own experience through those routes and in particular on one adventurous journey homewards from Tehran in 1975, when he happened to be stranded in Iran, with no cash to speak of and spending many nights sleeping in abandoned trailers along the way. Dave travelled homewards after he was given lifts in trucks returning to Europe. These were driven by drivers who had many tales to tell, and this book was motivated by the need to keep these fascinating stories alive.Illustrated with photographs of the drivers and vehicles taken at the time, Beyond the Bosphorus records what it was like for ordinary HGV drivers to get involved in something so dramatically different from their everyday working lives in the UK. It will be of interest to lorry drivers, general vehicle enthusiasts and also those with a historical and social interest in the Middle East alike.
£22.46
Amberley Publishing Buses in Greater London
Book SynopsisA lavishly illustrated overview of London's buses from the 1990s straight through to the present day.
£14.39
Safe Haven Books Seats of London: A Field Guide to London
Book SynopsisMoquette is the carpet-like fabric covering the seats we sit on in London's Tubes, buses, trams and Overground trains - and here is a brilliantly colourful guide to all its patterns. London Transport has always wanted the best design, be it Charles Holden's superb art deco Tube stations on the Piccadilly Line, its elegant Johnston typeface or Harry Beck's Tube map. And this pursuit of excellence has extended even to the design of the fabrics it covers our bus and Tube seats with: moquette. In the Thirties top artists like Paul Nash and Enid Marx were commissioned to design patterns; nowadays every line like Crossrail or the Overground gets its own unique, colour-co-ordinated moquette pattern. Now, in conjunction with the London Transport Museum, which has the definitive London Transport moquette archive, Andrew Martin has written a delightful, surprising and covetable guide to all these patterns, from the first horse bus to the latest Tube train.
£999.99
Amberley Publishing Lorries in Britain The 1990s
Book SynopsisWith rare and previously unpublished images showcasing the 1990s lorry scene throughout Great Britain.Trade Review'This is an excellent book and thanks to the excellent preservation scene here in the UK, many of the lorries featured in the book can still be seen on road runs and at events around the country.' -- Heritage Commercials Magazine, August 2023
£999.99
Amberley Publishing Hants Dorset A National Bus Company
Book SynopsisAs part of the National Bus Company, Hants & Dorset Motor Service once served a large diverse area. Here is a nostalgic look back on this popular bus company.
£14.39
Amberley Publishing The London to Brighton Historic Commercial
Book SynopsisThe second volume of a series that looks back at 50 years of the famous London to Brighton Historic Commercial Vehicle Run.
£14.39
