Trains and railways: general interest Books
Plexi Productions The New York Subway Map Debate
Book SynopsisGary Hustwit is an independent filmmaker and visual artist based in New York. He has produced 14 feature-length documentaries focusing on the worlds of design, architecture, and music, including Helvetica, Objectified, Urbanized, Workplace, and Rams. The films have been broadcast on outlets in 20 countries, and have been screened in over 300 cities worldwide. His film and photographic work has been shown at the Museum of Modern Art New York, Smithsonian Cooper Hewitt National Design Museum, and the Venice Biennale.Table of ContentsIntroduction: Gary Hustwit; Foreword: Paula Scher; The Debate; John Barnett; Peter Blake; Arthur Drexler; Hugh Dunne; Aviva Goldstein; Richard Harris; Peter LaundyJohn Tauranac; Massimo Vignelli; Interview: John Tauranac; Interview: Arline Bronzaft; Interview: Peter Laundy
£28.00
Cambridge University Press The Year That Shaped the Victorian Age
Book SynopsisWhat was special about 1845 and why does it deserve particular scrutiny? In his much-anticipated new book, one of the leading authorities on the Victorian age argues that this was the critical year in a decade which witnessed revolution on continental Europe, the threat of mass insurrection at home and radical developments in railway transport, communications, religion, literature and the arts. The effects of the new poor law now became visible in the workhouses; a potato blight started in Ireland, heralding the Great Famine; and the Church of England was rocked to its foundations by John Henry Newman''s conversion to Roman Catholicism. What Victorian England became was moulded, says Michael Wheeler, in the crucible of 1845. Exploring pivotal correspondence, together with pamphlets, articles and cartoons, the author tells the riveting story of a seismic epoch through the lives, loves and letters of leading contemporaneous figures.Trade Review'This lively account shows how a single year came to epitomise so many of the overarching themes of the Victorian age. An inviting read even for those already familiar with the episodes depicted, this is a meticulous and thoroughly-researched tour de force of scholarship by an author who always has new things to say.' Rohan McWilliam, Professor of Modern British History, Anglia Ruskin University'Remarkably informative, interesting, well-researched, and well-expressed, this study complements the many existing books on Victorian life and culture with both well- known and little-known material approached from a fresh point of view and supplemented in places by the use of hitherto unpublished documents.' Rosemary Ashton, Emeritus Quain Professor of English Language and Literature, University College LondonTable of ContentsIntroduction; Part I. Public Scandals: 1. Opening Mazzini's mail: Sir James Graham and the Post Office; 2. The railway juggernaut: Delane, Dickens and the press; 3. Poor law bastille: the Andover workhouse scandal; Part II. Private Lives: 4. Love by post: Elizabeth Barrett and Robert Browning; 5. Letters from the Continent: Ruskin in Italy; 6. Letters of the living and the dead: Thomas and Jane Welsh Carlyle; Part III. Oxford Movements: 7. Established church in crisis: William George Ward and the Oxford Movement; 8. A dangerous correspondence: Newman on the road to Rome; Part IV. Irish Questions: 9. Educating papist priests: Gladstone and the Maynooth grant; 10. From our own Commissioner: Daniel O'Connell and The Times; 11. A prime minister resigns: Peel and the Corn Laws; Afterword.
£29.99
Amberley Publishing Diesels in the Western Region
Book SynopsisWith previously unpublished images of diesel locomotives in the Western region showing them in service from 1966 to 2019.
£14.39
Amberley Publishing Great Britains Railways
Book SynopsisNew B-format paperback - Explore a highly illustrated and comprehensive look at the story of 400 years of Britain's railways.
£11.69
Amberley Publishing Steam Around Leeds in the 1960s
Book SynopsisA terrific selection of images in celebration of steam railways around the great city of Leeds in the 1960s.
£14.39
Amberley Publishing Class 25 26 and 27 Locomotives in Scotland
Book SynopsisWith rare and previously unpublished photographs of this interesting part of the Scottish rail scene.Trade Review'This volume does offer many inspirational views.' -- Model Rail Magazine, October 2023
£14.39
Amberley Publishing Steam Around the East Midlands in the 1960s
Book SynopsisA terrific selection of photographs in celebration of 1960s steam railways around the East Midlands.
£14.39
Amberley Publishing Edinburgh Granton and Leith Railways
Book SynopsisA terrific collection of historic photographs documenting the story of Edinburgh, Granton and Leith railways.Trade Review'The book certainly gave your Editor, who spent his childhood and teenage years living in the Capital, a much better knowledge of the suburban railways covered in this publication!' -- West Highland News, Autumn 2023
£14.39
Amberley Publishing MGR Coal Trains
Book SynopsisWith previously unpublished photographs documenting merry-go-round coal trains on Britain's railways.Trade Review'If you like heavy freight traffic, then this book will be of interest to you.' -- Railways Illustrated Magazine
£14.39
Amberley Publishing Iron Stone and Steam
Book SynopsisIsambard Kingdom Brunel: Victorian icon, engineer, artist, architect, designer and visionary, entrepreneur and celebrity. His astounding feats changed the British landscape, and this new book tells the story of his awe-inspiring achievements and innovations as a railway engineer.Trade Review'Incredibly detailed yet a very readable account, I recommend this book to anyone with an interest in the history of railway engineering.' -- The Writing Desk, January 2024'We all have our different views of the man who worked (and smoked) himself to an early death, but the author reminds us of the remarkable legacy left by, arguably, the greatest of British engineers. Highly recommended.' -- Model Rail Magazine, February 2024'Iron, Stone and Steam is also the story of the great engineer’s complex character and the roles of the people who helped the creative, and sometimes dictatorial, genius create his railway.' -- West Country Life Magazine, January 2024
£19.54
Amberley Publishing Britains DMUs 19661985
Book SynopsisExplore these rare and previously unpublished photographs documenting the first generation of DMUs in Britain.
£14.39
Amberley Publishing Preserved Steam on the West Highland Railway
Book SynopsisExplore a selection of stunning photographs celebrating steam on this famous and picturesque railway.
£16.99
Amberley Publishing Rails Around Manchester
Book SynopsisA terrific selection of images celebrating the rail scene around Manchester, featuring 180 rare and previously unpublished images.
£14.39
Amberley Publishing Railways Around the Potteries
Book SynopsisRare and previously unpublished photographs documenting the rail scene around Stoke on Trent and the Potteries.
£14.39
Amberley Publishing Class 43 Locomotives in Scotland
Book SynopsisColin J. Howat documents Class 43 locomotives in Scotland from the late 1970s in the BR era through to privatisation and beyond.
£14.39
Amberley Publishing The Scottish Region in the 1970s and 1980s Revisited
a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.
£14.39
Amberley Publishing Iron Stone and Steam
Book SynopsisNew paperback edition - Isambard Kingdom Brunel: Victorian icon, engineer, artist, architect, designer and visionary, entrepreneur and celebrity. His astounding feats changed the British landscape, and this new book tells the story of his awe-inspiring achievements and innovations as a railway engineer.
£10.79
Amberley Publishing Preserving Diesel Hydraulic Locomotives
a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.
£14.39
Pen & Sword Books Ltd The Hixon Railway Disaster
Book SynopsisA controversial study of a fatal accident.
£13.49
Pen & Sword Books Ltd Great Western Castle Class 460 Locomotives in
Book SynopsisThe inside story of the restoration and operation of the eight preserved Great Western Castles from the pens of those intimately involved.
£25.60
Pen & Sword Books Ltd Railways and Industry on the Brecon Merthyr
Book SynopsisCovers a part of South Wales rarely dealt with, including the iconic bleak moorland Dowlais Top station in the area of South Wales where it can snow in June .
£21.25
Pen & Sword Books Ltd The Corris Railway
Book SynopsisGood Text and CaptionsGood Photographic CoverageUseful to ModellersNew InformationGood Industrial Historic Coverage
£16.99
Pen & Sword Books Ltd The Railway Grouping 1923 to the Beeching Era
Book SynopsisWhen King George V ascended to the throne in 1910, world trade was increasing and at home the country's private enterprise railways were booming with larger trains and more freight being carried than ever before. Over the next fifty years the country had experienced not one, but two world wars. Railways had been forcefully reorganised, not once but twice, eventually becoming state owned. With the Government now in control of the railway's finances, reformation was on the horizon in the medicine of Dr. Beeching. This volume sets out to chart the passage of the railways during these turbulent times. Contrary to popular belief, life on the railways during these times was not all doom and gloom but times of innovation, competition, new buildings, new lines and the spread of electrification. This was the era of faster, larger, non-stop expresses, streamlined trains: we even showcased our best trains abroad, not once but twice!More and more people were taking holidays by trains and holid
£24.00
Pen & Sword Books Ltd Branch Line Britain
Book SynopsisThis book examines in words and pictures the network of British branch lines and other secondary routes that survived the mass closures of the 1960s. While nearly 4,000 route miles were lost between 1963 and 1970, the cuts were less severe than they might have been. Some lines were reprieved because of their social importance, even though they would never pay their way in purely commercial terms. They included some lengthy rural routes, such as those serving the Far North of Scotland, Central Wales and the Cumbrian Coast, as well as some urban backwaters such as Romford to Upminster and the St Albans Abbey branch. As the 1970s progressed, closures became scarce, but cost-cutting measures included the singling of some lines as well as scaled-down stations and simplified signalling. Yet even today, some pockets of traditional operation survive. Mechanical signal boxes still control many hundreds of miles across the network, in areas as diverse as West Cornwall, East Lincolnshire and Sout
£24.00
Pen & Sword Books Ltd The Planet and Samson Locomotives
Book SynopsisThis book outlines the technical design of the Planet and Samson locomotive, and charts the careers of the class members at home and abroad.
£21.25
Pen & Sword Books Ltd Railways and Industry on the Brecon Merthyr
Book SynopsisThis is the first modern book produced on this former railway.
£28.00
Pen & Sword Books Ltd Great Western Branch Line Gallery
Book SynopsisGallery of GWR/BR(W) branch line images from early 1900s to 1965. Some 220 images including a colour section. Emphasis on previously unseen photographs. Views concentrated on working trains with surrounding infrastructure. Reflects rural life in more relaxed times.
£17.00
Amberley Publishing The Railways of Peebles
Book SynopsisThis fascinating selection of photographs gives an insight into the history of the railways in and around Peebles over the last century.
£14.39
Amberley Publishing Industrial Locomotives & Railways of Scotland
This is the ninth volume in the ten-part series of regional books examining the industrial railways of England, Scotland and Wales. Like elsewhere in Britain, changes have been far-reaching in industry, and Scotland has certainly suffered considerably in recent decades with the loss of its traditional coal mining, steel and manufacturing industries, especially many of those that were once located around its Central Belt. The diversity of the locomotives and the railways that once served industry in Scotland is a fascinating and neglected subject, and both standard and narrow gauge systems, most of which no longer survive today, are covered within the pages of this book. The author presents an array of striking images, both in colour and black and white, that strive to include some feel for the locations being studied, covering the broad spectrum of industrial railways that once existed in Scotland. These mostly previously unpublished photographs, accompanied by detailed captions, reflect the changing face of Scottish industry over the last six decades or so. As the title suggests, this book is chiefly about Scotland’s industrial railways and its locomotives, many actually constructed in Scotland, but this work is also a sad reminder of how much our traditional industries have contracted, or have even been lost entirely over this period, either through globalisation of manufacturing, or the importation of commodities at a cheaper market rate than could have been obtained at home.
£16.99
Amberley Publishing Class 68 and Class 88 Locomotives
Book SynopsisJohn Jackson's highly illustrated book looks at the newest rolling stock to take to Britain's railways.Trade Review'Overall this is a good photographic record of the Class 68 and 88 fleets that should be popular with enthusiasts of the locomotive and modellers too. I enjoyed flicking through the pages of this volume.' -- Railways Illustrated Magazine
£14.39
Amberley Publishing Steam in the British Coalfields
Book SynopsisA fascinating selection of previously unpublished images documenting the final years of steam on Britain's coalfields, featuring photographs from England, Scotland and Wales.
£14.39
Amberley Publishing The Worlds Last Steam Locomotives in Industry The
Book SynopsisA stunning collection of rare photographs documenting the last years of industrial steam around the world.
£16.99
Amberley Publishing Crewe in the Days of BR Blue
Book SynopsisA fascinating collection of previously unpublished images of railways around this famous hub of British transport.
£14.39
Amberley Publishing East Anglia and the East Coast Railways
Book SynopsisStunning previously unpublished photographs documenting the end of steam railways in the East Anglia area.
£14.39
Pen & Sword Books Ltd The Keighley and Worth Valley Railway
Book SynopsisNow preserved for almost sixty years, the former Midland Railway branch from Keighley to Oxenhope to the west of Bradford may not be one of the country’s longest – indeed it only stretches for just under five miles – but it is one of the country’s most popular preserved lines. With a history stretching back to the mid-nineteenth century, the Keighley & Worth Valley provided an essential link for the communities that it served for almost a century. The harsh economic realities of the 1950s made its future uncertain and its fate was, theoretically, sealed before the infamous Beeching Report of March 1963. However, there were a number of local enthusiasts who, having previously witnessed the demise of the ex-Great Northern Railway Queensbury Triangle routes in the mid-1950s, were determined that the Oxenhope line would not suffer a similar fate. With the line preserved, services were triumphantly restored in 1968 and the line has been providing pleasures for tourists and enthusiasts ever since.
£21.25
Pen & Sword Books Ltd Midland Red in Retrospect: A Journey Through Time
Book SynopsisMidland Red in Retrospect covers the period during the 1960s when the Midland Red bus company dominated the Midlands, operating the lion's share of the bus services and also the express coach services from the Midlands to London and other locations. Like London Transport, Midland Red had a very distinctive image and its own fleet of vehicles designed exclusively for its operations. This volume is written by someone who worked for the company during this period and reflects the colour and atmosphere of this much-loved and well-remembered bus operator. Sadly the author passed away in September 2020, before the book was published and this volume of Midland Red bus pictures is a tribute to him.
£24.00
Pen & Sword Books Ltd Gresley and his Locomotives: L & N E R Design
Book SynopsisThe story of Gresley and his locomotives is a well-trodden path. But our view of his achievements is a blinkered one because it fails to recognise all the other people who played a part in his work. As the leading American aviation engineer Paul S Baker wrote in 1945 the day of one-man engineering is long gone. You might as well print the organisation table of the engineering department when trying to assign credit for a particular design'. To Gresley must go great credit for many of the LNER's achievements, but those around him have faded into obscurity and are now largely forgotten even though their contributions were immense. To redress this balance, the author has explored the lives of Gresley and his team and sought to uncover a more expansive picture of these events. This in no way diminishes Gresley's accomplishments, which are immense by any standards, but builds a more authentic view of a dynamic period in railway history. The book draws upon many sources of information, some of it previously unpublished. This has helped present a fascinating picture of all that happened and all that was achieved, often in the most difficult of circumstances, by a very gifted team of engineers and their exceptional leader.
£32.00
Pen & Sword Books Ltd North Eastern Electric Stock 1904-2020: Its
Book SynopsisThe north east of England was the cradle of Britain's railways in the 19th Century. It was here George and Robert Stephenson would shape the steam locomotive. Then in the early 20th Century a second transport revolution took place around Newcastle when the suburban lines from the city to the coast were electrified in response to competition from the electric trams. What was created became the blueprint for modern day commuting. This book tells the story behind the creation of that network, the trains that served it. The narrative goes through the success and expansion years and ultimately the troubles that led to its demise. Our story comes full circle with the creation of the Tyne & Wear Metro, a ground breaking transport system that, like the electrified lines nearly 80 years earlier, set a new standard for suburban rail that would be the inspiration for schemes in many other parts of the country.
£21.25
Pen & Sword Books Ltd Railways and Industries in North East Wales and
Book SynopsisRob Shorland-Ball's researches for this book, and several visits, convinced him that he was putting together a jigsaw of facts. No previously published account of the area have brought together these stories of iron & steel making, limestone quarrying, coal mining, terra cotta, lead mining, and the railway systems they all needed to move their products to market. There were narrow and standard gauge railways -80 miles of tracks in the Shotton Steel Works; industrial sites like Brymbo Iron and Steel Works; and since 2003 the Airbus factory which makes 100ft long wings for Airbus 380s that are too long to be moved by rail! A jigsaw indeed and this books puts together the pieces.
£21.25
Pen & Sword Books Ltd The Railways of Bradford and Leeds: Their History
Book SynopsisIt was to the south-west of Leeds that one of the key lines in the development of Britain’s railway network – the Middleton Railway – established the principle of seeking parliamentary sanction for the construction of a new form of transport. Five decades later in the early nineteenth century it was again the Middleton Railway that was at the forefront of the use of steam – rather than animal – power to move coal from colliery to market. From the early 1830s through until the early years of the twentieth century the local railway network continued to expand; indeed, if it had not been for the outbreak of the First World War in 1914 the area would have played host to one of the last first-generation main lines to be constructed with the Midland Railway planning – and partially constructing – a new main line north from Royston. In the event the line was never completed, consigning Bradford to be served by no more than glorified branch lines. Providing a largely illustrated account to the history of the railway development of the area, the book includes a fascinating selection of illustrations that focus on the evolution of the network in the almost eighty years since the end of the Second World War.
£24.00
Pen & Sword Books Ltd Scotland's Railways in the 1980s and 1990s: A
Book SynopsisIn the 1980s and early 1990s, Scotland was an excellent destination for the railway enthusiast. The many locomotive hauled trains running through splendid scenery, together with the surviving railway infrastructure and mechanical signalling, provided many fine photographic opportunities. My first railway visit to Scotland was on board The Fair Maid rail tour to Perth, behind Flying Scotsman in 1983\. The following year, I again travelled to Scotland, this time on the F & W Railtours The Skirl O' The Pipes 4, to Kyle of Lochalsh and Mallaig, my first visit to the Scottish Highlands. I had previously been travelling abroad for railways, but impressed by what I saw, I decided that I would quickly return to photograph the Scottish railway scene, before it changed too much. This was the start of a series of visits, each for one or two weeks, between 1984 and June 1991, covering the whole country. This book is a photographic record of the locomotives, trains and infrastructure of the railways of Scotland and the landscapes through which the trains ran, as recorded by my various cameras during the period of my visits.
£21.25
Pen & Sword Books Ltd The Snowdon Mountain Railway
Book SynopsisThe Snowdon Mountain Railway is one of the great narrow gauge railways of North Wales, with thousands of visitors travelling to the summit of Mount Snowdon along the line each year. This book covers the history of this historic and interesting line from its beginnings in the 1890s through to the present day. The author Peter Johnson has been writing about narrow gauge railways for many years and has a deep knowledge of the lines in North and Mid Wales. The Snowdon Mountain Railway is an important part of the tourist industry in North Wales and plays a vital part in providing transport in this popular and much visited area. This volume looks at the narrow gauge railway's history and development, taking in the present and future development of this fascinating line's operation.
£28.00
Pen & Sword Books Ltd Virgin Trains: A Pictorial Tribute
Book SynopsisWhen British Railways (BR) was privatised in April 1994 a series of passenger franchises was created that included services on both the East Coast Main Line (ECML) and competing West Coast Main Line (WCML) routes. The WCML franchise was won by Virgin Trains and it quickly set about improving service by introducing a range of standard trainsets to replace the variety of traction fleets that it had inherited. It also became a constant critic of Government policy which promised much but offered little as the company found itself battling to establish the standards of service that it had promised within its franchise agreement but found other bodies within the industry reluctant to support. Fred Kerr lives at Southport hence his nearness to the WCML and his book seeks to illustrate the period of changes that Virgin Trains initiated from the immediate application of a startling livery to the introduction of new trainsets and the problems of establishing a new timetable to make the most of the new trainsets. The operation of the WCML franchise identified problems with both the nature and structure of the franchise system which were exemplified when the company finally managed to win the ECML franchise although it surrendered the latter when major problems were identified by the company. The company subsequently lost the WCML franchise and hence its involvement with train operations within the United Kingdom and Fred Kerr's book seeks to explain the history of Virgin Trains involvement in train operations through a comprehensive collection of photographs showing the traction fleet that it inherited and the new fleets it introduced to service.
£21.25
Fonthill Media LLc Viewing Norfolk Southern Railway
Book SynopsisViewing Norfolk Southern Railway covers the history of this railroad, beginning with the South Carolina Canal & Rail Road Company, which in 1830 operated the first regularly scheduled passenger train in the United States. Among the many railroads that became part of Norfolk Southern was the Pennsylvania Railroad, whose completion of the Horseshoe Curve in 1854 was an outstanding engineering achievement that transformed land transportation across Pennsylvania, contributing to the growth of the railroad. By 1882, it became the largest railroad in the world. Norfolk Southern's special painted locomotives, representing many of the railroads that became part of its heritage, are included in this book.Table of Contents1 Predecessor Railroads 11; 2 Multicolored Norfolk Southern Railway 35; 3 Run Through Power on Norfolk Southern Railway 53; 4 Horseshoe Curve and Altoona 61; 5 NS in Gallitzin, Cresson, Lilly, and Cassandra, Pennsylvania 71; 6 Harris Tower Railroad Museum 83; 7 Norfolk Southern Sunbury Line 87; 8 Enola Yard and Harrisburg Yard 93; 9 Annville, Pennsylvania, Station 95; 10 Macungie Rail Fan Pavilion 97; 11 Wernersville Train Station and Adjacent Area 99; 12 Valley Forge Station 103; 13 East Penn Railroad 105; 14 R. J. Corman Railroad/Pennsylvania Lines 109; 15 New York Susquehanna Western Railway 111; 16 Juniata Valley Railroad 113; 17 Buffalo Southern Railroad 115; 18 Western New York & Pennsylvania Railroad 117; 19 Westfield, New York’s Amazing Rail Site 123.
£23.38
The Crowood Press Ltd British Rail Class 20 Locomotives
Book SynopsisThe first of the English Electric Type 1 design, what we now know as the Class 20s, appeared in June 1957. With their distinctive 'chopper' engine sound, these single-cabbed locomotives soon gained a reputation for rugged reliability brought about by their simplicity and use of tried and tested components. British Rail Class 20 Locomotives looks back at the operations of these fine locomotives since 1957, covering their varied workings and duties, regional use and railtour operations. The book also covers the technical aspects and specifications of the locomotives, including liveries and detailing.
£24.75
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC The Story of Crossrail
Book SynopsisThe story of an engineering marvel of the twenty-first century, from Britain's bestselling railway writer. Crossrail, first conceived just after the Second World War in the era of Attlee and Churchill, has cost more than £15bn and is expected to serve 200 million passengers annually. From Reading and Heathrow in the west, the Elizabeth line will extend to Shenfield and Abbey Wood in the east, including 42 kilometres of new tunnels dug under central London. The author sets out the complex and highly political reasons for Crossrail's lengthy gestation, tracing the troubled progress of the concept from the rejection of the first Crossrail bill in the 1990s through the tortuous parliamentary processes that led to the passing of the Crossrail Act of 2008. He also recounts in detail the construction of this astonishing new railway, describing how immense tunnel-boring machines cut through a subterranean world of rock and mud with unparalleled accuracy that ensured none of the buildings overhead were affected. A shrewdly incisive observer of postwar transport policy, Wolmar pays due credit to the remarkable achievement of Crossrail, while analysing in clear-eyed fashion the many setbacks it encountered en route to completion.Trade ReviewThere will surely be lessons from Crossrail to suggest how the work might have been done even more efficiently and quickly * Financial Times *PRAISE FOR CHRISTIAN WOLMAR: 'An excellent history of the London Underground' The Times on The Subterranean Railway. 'A lucid and engaging account of the far-reaching effects that trains have had upon society' The Railway & Canal Historical Society on Railways. 'A wonderful account of how our railways came to be' Jon Snow on Fire and Steam. 'A marvellously informative, entertaining and rightly partisan book' * Sunday Times, on Fire and Steam *
£17.00
Crecy Publishing Birmingham and West Midlands Railway Atlas: 2nd
Book SynopsisMuch has changed in this region since the first edition of this Atlas was published in 2016, notably the confirmation of the route of HS2 and extensions to the West Midlands Metro. As a consequence, a completely revised edition of this masterly cartographic portrayal of the railways and tramways of the West Midlands by leading railway cartographer, Joe Brown, is particularly timely.The Atlas covers the entire West Midlands continuous urban area of Birmingham, Walsall, Wolverhampton, West Bromwich, Stourbridge and Dudley. It also features the towns and cities surrounding this core area. This includes Stafford, Lichfield, Tamworth, Nuneaton, Coventry, Rugby, Leamington Spa, Stratford-upon-Avon, Bromsgrove and Kidderminster. As well as dealing with the complex railway system that served the area, the entire historic passenger tramway network of the region is mapped with opening and closing details provided in an Appendix. This is brought up to date with the current West Midlands Metro system and future extensions to it which have been announced as well as the planned Coventry ''Very Light Rail'' system.Intricate and finely drawn mapping shows individual track and platforms for all lines whether open and closed, as well as stations, changes of station name and opening and closing dates, and much, much more. Many of those both interested in both transport and local history will already be aware of the superb quality of Joe Brown''s cartography and will wish to add this new and much enhanced edition of the Birmingham and West Midlands Railway Atlas to their libraries.
£21.25
Crecy Publishing Southern Way Special 19 Eastleigh Enginemen
Book SynopsisThe 2022 Southern Way Special Edition is the story of author Keith Dawe''s railway career which began in 1964 in the last years of Southern Region steam. Unlike many who joined the ranks of footplate crew, there was no railway tradition in his family. Keith was an academically bright student who gave up his schooling to follow the interest he always had in railways and the steam locomotive in particular. He joined the railway as a cleaner at Eastleigh shed when he was only 15, too young even to become a fireman.This memoir of those final years of steam at Eastleigh shed is packed with interesting and informative insights on those last years of SR steam, it is also an affectionate and well written recollection of a long gone era. Chapters deal with diverse topics, such as working both pick up goods trains and longer distance freight diagrams including the nightly services destined for Feltham yard in London. On the passenger side, among the topics covered are the workings through to Bournemouth and the boat trains which served Southampton Docks. The author also provides his personal assessment of the capabilities of many of the different steam classes on which he worked.Keith''s railway career was short lived as the steam railway he loved disappeared in 1967. He felt there was no future for him on the railway so in 1970 he left and returned to his studies. However, this memoir of his time at Eastleigh in those last years of steam is vivid and fascinating to read. All who are interested in SR steam and in that era of transition from steam to diesel and electric traction will thoroughly enjoy this latest Southern Way Special.
£15.26
