Trains and railways: general interest Books
Amberley Publishing British Army Ambulance Trains
Book SynopsisAn illustrated history of British Army ambulance trains from the nineteenth century to the Cold War.
£15.29
Amberley Publishing Devon Metro
Book SynopsisThis book examines the development of the Devon Metro, the rapid-transit-style rail network announced by Devon County Council in 2011, and how it might evolve in the future.
£14.39
Pen & Sword Books Ltd Western Diesel Hydraulics in Preservation
Book SynopsisShows the range of locomotive designs adopted by BR's Western Region.
£21.25
Pen & Sword Books Ltd Captured at Arnhem
Book SynopsisDetails the story of a soldier throughout his wartime adventures and life as a railway man.
£13.49
Pen & Sword Books Ltd English Electric Class 50 Diesels
Book SynopsisContains photographs of all fifty Class 50sMany less well-known locations appear alongside the popular onesMany locations have changed beyond recognitionSignalling and other railway infrastructure appear in many photos
£21.25
Pen & Sword Books Ltd Rails South West From Birmingham in the Late 20th
Book SynopsisTowards the end of the twentieth century, take a photographic journey along the railway lines to the southwest and south of Birmingham. Starting at Birmingham''s main stations, New Street and Snow Hill in the centre of the city, you can travel from the West Midlands through the urban, industrial, and rural landscapes of the counties of Gloucestershire, Herefordshire, Warwickshire and Worcestershire, visiting the branch lines and the various heritage railways and railway centres along the way. As well as the diesel locomotives and railcars that are illustrated in most of the photographs, various steam-hauled special trains are also included. While the railway has gradually improved as a means of transport, for the author it has become increasingly less interesting as it has been modernised. Fortunately, the spectacle of ''Peaks'', Class 50s and many other locomotives going about their daily business has been well recorded, and many scenes are captured in these pages. Much railway infras
£22.50
Johns Hopkins University Press Back on Track
Book SynopsisA fascinating account of one of America's most important industries and its dangers. Throughout the early twentieth century, railroad safety steadily improved across the United States. But by the 1960s, American railroads had fallen apart, the result of a regulatory straightjacket that eroded profitability and undermined safety. Collisions, derailments, worker fatalities, and grade crossing mishaps skyrocketed, while hazmat disasters exploded into newspaper headlines. In Back on Track, his sequel to Death Rode the Rails, Mark Aldrich traces the history of railroad accidents beginning in 1965, when Congress responded to bankrupt and scandal-ridden carriers by enacting a new safety regime. Aldrich details the federalization of rail safety and the implementation of a massive grade crossing program. He touches on post-1976 economic deregulation, which provided critical financing that underwrote better public safety. He also explores how the National Transportation Safety Board acted as aTrade ReviewMark Aldrich provides a comprehensive review of U.S. railroad safety, including major wrecks, regulatory changes, and technological innovations . . . The author intertwines encyclopedic knowledge of U.S. railroad accidents with a discussion that outlines how market forces, technological advancement, and regulations influenced railroad safety.—Cody Nehiba and Alexander Luttmann, EH.NetTable of ContentsList of FiguresList of TablesPrefaceIntroduction1. The Long View2. Off the Tracks3. On the Right Track4. "Our Goal Is Zero Accidents"5. Passenger Safety in Modern Times, 1955–20156. Look Out for the TrainConclusionAppendixes1. Train Accidents That Shaped Railroad Safety, 1831–19552. Adjusting Train Accidents for Inflation and Reporting Changes, 1947–19783. Accidents That Shaped Railroad Safety, 1960–2010List of AbbreviationsNotesEssay on SourcesIndex
£46.35
Amberley Publishing Steam Around North Wales
Book SynopsisRecapturing the glory days of steam on the North Wales coast and the Lleyn Peninsula.
£17.09
Amberley Publishing The Kyle of Lochalsh Line Great Railway Journeys
Book SynopsisThis fascinating selection of photographs traces some of the many ways in which the Kyle of Lochalsh Line has changed and developed over the last century.
£14.39
Amberley Publishing Brunel in Cornwall
Book SynopsisJohn Christopher, an acknowledged expert on Brunel, takes us on a tour of Cornwall, exploring his works in the county. This is the latest in a series of books which are about rediscovering Brunel's works in your area.
£14.39
Amberley Publishing Class 37 Locomotives
Book SynopsisDocuments the iconic Class 37 locomotive.
£14.39
Amberley Publishing British Freight Trains
Anyone who has tried to watch freight moving on UK rails in the last few years will realise these are challenging times for the rail freight industry. Stand by any railway line and you may have to wait a while to see a freight train of any sort pass by. Indeed, many large areas of our rail network see no regular freight traffic at all. Against a backdrop of declining volumes, the competition between the various freight companies has never been so acute. The ‘big five’ freight haulage companies, DB Cargo, Freightliner, GB Railfreight, Direct Rail Services and Colas Rail, dominate the market. It is no surprise that all five companies include the ubiquitous Class 66 within their fleets, with over 300 examples of the class operating across the country. The observer could be forgiven for thinking that these are the only traction in use today. Of course they dominate the current UK freight scene but that is by no means the whole story. Numerous other classes of both diesel and electric locomotives contribute to the mix of rail freight traction on display in the UK today. Class 37 diesels and a reducing number of AC electric locomotives have notched up half a century of freight haulage. They can be seen today working alongside newer examples such as the Class 68 and 70 locomotives. With an array of rare and unpublished images, John Jackson offers a fascinating overview of the freight scene today.
£14.39
Amberley Publishing Narrow Gauge Locomotives
Book SynopsisBritainâs narrow gauge railways are host to some of the oldest, most charming, varied and extraordinary locomotives to be found anywhere. This book is a fascinating survey of these appealing engines.
£8.54
Amberley Publishing British Railway Accidents and Incidents in Maps
Book SynopsisJonathan Mountfort looks at some of the notable and disastrous accidents and incidents that have taken place in the history of the British rail network.
£14.39
Amberley Publishing The Great Way West London to Cornwall by Rail
Book SynopsisA fascinating collection of images recording one of the most iconic routes on Britain's railways - London to Cornwall.
£13.49
Amberley Publishing BNSF Railway
Book SynopsisSeen through the lens of a UK-based photographer, this book shows wonderful photos of one of the world's largest and most iconic railways.
£14.39
Amberley Publishing The Extraordinary DaddyLongLegs Railway of
Book SynopsisLavishly illustrated throughout, Martin Easdown tells the story of seaside Daddy-Long-Legs Railway icon.
£14.39
Amberley Publishing North Wessex Diesels
Book SynopsisStunning previously unpublished images of diesel locomotives on the railways of this picturesque area.
£999.99
Amberley Publishing The Hoppers
Book SynopsisA superb collection of photographs documenting the icons of the freight railway scene - ICI Hoppers.
£14.39
Amberley Publishing MOD Railways
Book SynopsisA pictorial record of this interesting curiosity of Britain's railway network. This book looks at rolling stock used at a number of locations, both standard and narrow gauge, and where appropriate the locations served by these largely unknown systems.
£14.39
Amberley Publishing Industrial Railways
Book SynopsisThe very first railways were built by British industry, and at their height private industrial railways could be found all over Britain, moving mined and quarried raw materials, finished goods and much else. This is their story.
£9.49
Rowman & Littlefield Europe by Eurail 2021
Book SynopsisEurope by Eurail has been the train traveler's one-stop source for visiting Europe's cities and countries by rail for more than forty years. This comprehensive guide provides the latest information on fares, schedules, and pass options, as well as detailed information on more than one hundred specific rail excursions. The book contains information readers need to enjoy visits in historic cities, romantic villages, and scenic hamlets on more than ninety rail trips starting from twenty-eight base cities located in twenty countries. Sample rail-tour itineraries combine several base cities and day excursions into fifteen-day rail-tour packages complete with hotel recommendations and sightseeing options. . Packed with practical information, step-by-step directions, advice on where to go and what to see and do, and complemented by the inclusion of twenty maps, Europe by Eurail takes the puzzle out of European Rail Travel.
£15.19
University of Nebraska Press The Old Iron Road
Book SynopsisA combination of travelogue, history, and storytelling, this is the story of David Haward Bain's family's travels from their home in Vermont to the West in search of America's past.Trade Review“[Bain’s] wholly winning book can be approached (and enjoyed) as history, memoir, and travelogue of the highest order. . . . Ambitious, magisterial, intimate, and engaging. . . . I was often reminded of such charming and idiosyncratic books as William Least Heat-Moon’s Blue Highways and Reyner Banham’s Scenes in America Deserta. Both of these books sent me on quests to see what the authors had seen and described so beguilingly, and I felt the same urge on page after page of The Old Iron Road.”—Jonathan Kirsch, Los Angeles Times“A very personal and warm account—no dry history here—of a journey of the heart that concludes on a poignant note.”—Chicago Tribune“A picaresque race across the country. . . . In The Old Iron Road, the dead seem to rise up to greet [Bain] as he goes, and the living save their best stories for him. . . . It is impossible to cross this country by land without being changed by the experience. The Old Iron Road captures this fact vividly, in as many different forms as Bain can find room for in its pages.”––Verlyn Klinkenborg, New York Times Book Review“Bain bypasses a facile sentimentality for a more complex portrait of the American West.”—Publishers Weekly, starred review“What a terrific read! The Old Iron Road is an elegant combination of riveting storytelling, modern travelogue, and impeccable history. By taking his family across America retracing the route of the first transcontinental railroad, award-winning prose stylist David Haward Bain rediscovered the glory days of the railroad. Ghosts abound, including John Frémont, Butch Cassidy, and Ulysses S. Grant.”—Douglas Brinkley, author of Wheels for the World“Highly recommended. . . . Historic accounts of particular people and places along the way make for lively and interesting reading, along with Bain’s entertaining descriptions of and reflections on modern events and sights. Scout’s Rest Ranch at North Platte, Nebraska, offers him the opportunity to discuss ‘Buffalo Bill’ Cody, while Elko, Nevada, brings out Bing Crosby’s connection with the town. The overall effect is a modern exploration of the American West and its development of a sense of place in the tradition of Charles Kuralt and Bill Moyers.”—Library Journal“The here-today-gone-tomorrow impermanence of life in the old American west pervades David Bain’s history of the penetration of the country’s last frontier. Everything there has changed in the two-hundred years since Captain Meriwether Lewis and Lieutenant William Clark left St. Louis on 14th May 1804 to explore an overland route to the Pacific. The 15m buffalo that roamed the range are gone. . . . Too many Indian peoples, once proud and free, now eke out lives of wretched humiliation on reservations. But melancholy over these sad departures is balanced by admiration for the deeds of the pioneers. They endured unimaginable hardships in turning a wilderness into one of the most prosperous places on earth.”—The Economist“Well done! The Old Iron Road is a fine and honorable addition to the growing first-class literature of the American land.”—William Least Heat-Moon, author of Blue Highways and River Horse“This book is a gem.”––Newsday (Long Island, NY)“One of the season’s best.”—USA TodayTable of ContentsList of Illustrations Part I 1. The Odyssey Begins 2. Jumping Off Part II 3. Rails and the River 4. The Lincoln Highway 5. The Road from Red Cloud 6. Hell on Wheels 7. The View from the Bluffs Part III 8. Magic City 9. Road Tested on the Red Plains 10. Crossing the Divide 11. Green River to the Rim Part IV 12. Through the Canyons to Paradise Part V 13. Following the Humboldt 14. Silver State Part VI 15. Over the Sierra 16. From Sacramento to the Sea 17. Golden Gate Epilogue References Index
£19.19
Pen & Sword Books Ltd Peppercorn, His Life and Locomotives
Book SynopsisArthur Peppercorn, a vicar's son from Herefordshire, was the last L N E R Chief Mechanical Engineer. He managed his department for a very short time before it was swept away in the wholesale changes that followed Nationalisation of British Railways in 1948.Although a disciple and follower of Sir Nigel Gresley, he was his own man and developed his talent for production engineering that fully complimented the design skills of his greatly respected leader. He then became a worthy deputy to Edward Thompson during a war that demanded great personal sacrifices from both men. When he finally became C M E in 1946 he used his wide talents and experience to lead in developing two successful pacific classes of locomotives, that many rate as being among the best locomotives of this type ever to appear in Britain. This book, which is the first detailed biography of Peppercorn, tells his fascinating story and describes the influences on his life and career, illustrating his many achievements along the way.
£32.00
Pen & Sword Books Ltd Thompson, His Life and Locomotives
Book SynopsisEdward Thompson was the London & North Eastern Railways second Chief Mechanical Engineer, following the death of Sir Nigel Gresley in 1941. He was in office from 1941-1946, when he retired, after a long career as a mechanical engineer, working for several railway companies, including the North Eastern, Great Northern and after the grouping the London & North Eastern Railway. He was a very contraversial figure, often maligned by railway historians for his reconstruction of several classes of steam locomotive, including the Gresley prototype pacific Great Northern, which many people still feel was unnessasery. However there is more to Edward Thompson then his period as Chief Mechanical Engineer of the London & North Eastern Railway, in that he had a complex side to him, which might of originated from his experiances in the First World War, during which he served with distinction in France. This book for the first time, sets out to explain both the man and his philosophy, looking at the complex reasoning behind the way he came to his decisions over locomotive design and why he decided to reconstruct a number of Sir Nigel Gresleys locomotives.
£23.75
Pen & Sword Books Ltd Great Western, 0-6-2 Tank Classes: Absorbed and
Book SynopsisAfter tackling the GW pannier tanks in his Locomotive Portfolios' for Pen & Sword, author David Maidment seeks out descriptions and photographs of the GW 0-6-2 tank engines, the majority of which were built by the Rhymney, Taff Vale, Barry and other Welsh railways from the last decade or so of the nineteenth century onwards. The engines of eight different companies, absorbed by the GWR in 1922, are described and illustrated, and the way in which many were modernised and rebuilt at Swindon or Caerphilly Works in the 1920s. Charles Collett was, however, faced with a motive power crisis in the mining valleys at the Grouping, as many of the companies had economised on essential maintenance as the GW's take-over drew near, and he had to hurriedly design a standard 0-6-2T to complement and bolster their work as the powerful GW 2-8-0Ts were too heavy and wide for many of the Cardiff valleys. These engines, the 56XX & 66XX classes, became part of the South Wales scene between 1925 and 1964, mainly running the coal traffic between pits and docks, although they dominated Cardiff Valley passenger services until the influx of BR 3MT 2-6-2Ts and GW 41XX 2-6-2Ts in 1954/5\. The book has nearly 40,000 words of text and around 300 black & white photographs.
£24.00
Arcadia Publishing Library Editions Eastern Shore Railroad
Book Synopsis
£17.24
Arcadia Publishing Library Editions Railroading Around Cumberland
Book Synopsis
£22.49
Fonthill Media Ltd The Ruabon to Barmouth Line
Book SynopsisThe cross-country Ruabon to Barmouth railway was originally built to fulfil the desire of connecting the town of Llangollen with the rest of the rapidly expanding network. The local Victorian promoters received the backing of the Great Western Railway, which had an ambitious plan to reach the Cambrian Coast and tap into the slate quarries around Snowdonia. As time was to prove, the GWR was to be temporarily thwarted by the construction of a branch inland from Barmouth by the rival Cambrian Railway, resulting in an end-on connection between the two railways in the market town of Dolgelly. The route developed into an important artery across rural Wales, bringing in its wake a revolution in agriculture, industry and daily life. Holiday traffic became big business, tapping into the big conurbations of Liverpool, Manchester and Birmingham. The route would ultimately succumb to the Beeching axe during the 1960s, but even this did not go to plan following severe flooding a few weeks prior! Volume One explores the eastern half of the route, encompassing the towns of Ruabon, Llangollen, Corwen and Bala, and a brief introduction to the fundamentals of railway travel. The perfect companion for anyone visiting the preserved Llangollen Railway.Table of ContentsForeword; 1 Rails into the Dee Valley; 2 Onwards to Corwen and Bala; 3 The Route: Ruabon to Llangollen; 4 The Route: Llangollen to Corwen; 5 The Route: Corwen to Bala Junction; 6 Railway Fundamentals; 7 Tourism; 8 Moving the Goods; Bibliography.
£17.09
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC Broad Gauge Railways
Book SynopsisIsambard Kingdom Brunel considered the Great Western Railway the ‘finest work in England’ and he contributed many groundbreaking features, none so unorthodox as the decision not to adopt the ‘standard’ track gauge of 4ft 8½in and instead introduce the new ‘broad gauge’ of 7ft ¼in. Describing the rationale behind the choice of broad gauge, and also the unique track and locomotives used, this beautifully illustrated introduction to broad gauge railways chronicles the building of the original GWR between Bristol and London, and the expansion of that original 112-mile main line into a network stretching across the West of England, Wales and the Midlands. It describes how the clash between broad and narrow led to the ‘Battle of the Gauges’ and also provides a list of places to visit where broad gauge artefacts still survive.Table of ContentsIntroduction Anatomy of the Broad Gauge Brunel’s Great Western Broad Gauge Empire Death of the Broad Gauge Broad Gauge Swindon Locomotives and Rolling Stock Places to Visit Further Reading Index
£7.99
The Crowood Press Ltd The London Underground Electric Train
Book SynopsisThe London Underground Electric Train tells the story of the development of electric traction on the London Underground railways. It combines technical knowledge, historical context and practical experiences. It covers the history of underground lines since the opening of the first deep-level underground rail system in the world in 1890: the City & South London Railway. The evolution of train design, including power, lighting, heating and design of the Underground cars is also covered along with the development of operational, engineering and safety devices on trains. Highly illustrated with period and new photography and technical diagrams, this book is a reference work for electric traction and underground rail enthusiasts.
£22.50
The Crowood Press Ltd Great Western Railway Stars, Castles and Kings
Book SynopsisGreat Western Railway Stars, Castles and Kings examines the history and workings of these legendary classes of passenger steam locomotives, the first of which, the North Star, was built in 1906. Richly illustrated with over 200 photographs, the book includes illustrated explanations of how Great Western Railway steam engines work; details of the engines' work on named expresses and in ordinary service; overview of the survivors, heritage organizations and their futures; technical specifications and timelines of each class and finally, GWR and British Rail Motive Power Depot codes and train head codes.
£22.50
The Crowood Press Ltd The Severn Tunnel Junction
Book SynopsisThe Severn Tunnel Junction was the largest freight marshalling yard on the Western Region of British Railways, once stretching for over two miles along the Welsh bank of the River Severn. At its height it was a goods yard, junction, station and loco depot, but it was an important railway community and small town as well. With over 150 photographs this book describes the beginnings of the yard within the wider historical context and discusses the expansion of the site and the impact of the two World Wars. It documents the methods of working at the junction and recalls the locos, freight and passenger trains that travelled the lines. Finally, it remembers the people who worked and lived here.
£18.00
Crecy Publishing Southern Way 53, The
Book SynopsisWe are pleased to announce the forthcoming publication of the next issue of The Southern Way, the journal of record for all those interested in the history and heritage of the Southern Railway, its constituent companies and the Southern Region of British Railways. Edited by Kevin Robertson, whose extensive knowledge of all things SR and whose many publications on the railways of the south of England are well known to SR enthusiasts, each volume contains a series of authoritative articles on an always interesting range of topics, copiously illustrated with a wealth of photographs. Four issues of The Southern Way are published annually, usually in January, April, July and October and the regular issues of the journal are supplemented by occasional Southern Way Specials which focus in much greater depth on specific area of SR history, operations or traction.
£13.46
Crecy Publishing Handbook for Railway Steam Locomotive Enginemen
Book SynopsisThe burgeoning of the railway preservation movement all across the United Kingdom in the last 50 years has meant that there are now a considerable amount of steam locomotives preserved, maintained and in full working order and being run in frequent public service by preservation societies on heritage lines. This means that there is a continuing need for a practical handbook to help drivers and those responsible for maintaining the locomotives in safe condition for public use, covering all the basics of steam locomotive construction, technology and operation - this book fulfils that need admirably. The book is a reprint of an official handbook issued for the education of and day-to-day use by British Railways enginemen in late 1957, when it was distributed to all members of the BR footplate grades concerned with steam power. In lucid terms, and with the aid of over 90 contemporary diagrams, many of which employ a variety of colours to distinguish, for example, saturated steam, superheated steam, exhaust steam, air, oil and water passages, the book provides an accessible guide to the basic principles of steam locomotive construction and operation.
£17.00
Graffeg Limited Lost Lines of England and Wales: Wye Valley
Book Synopsis
£8.99
Key Publishing Ltd Class 47s: The Jack of All Trades
Book SynopsisClass 47s have now been part of the UK railway system for over 60 years. They have been used on every type of train over the years, including front line passenger, freight and charter trains. During the late 1980s and through the following 20 years, however, many locos were steadily withdrawn from service with their former duties being taken over by newer fixed formation electric and diesel units. However, due to their versatility and almost a go anywhere' capability, many of the newer operating companies that appeared during this period saw the potential in further use for them. Although the vast majority have long since been scrapped, there is still a good amount of examples that can been seen at work throughout the UK. This book shows the duties the class has worked from around the mid-1980s through to the present time.
£999.99
Key Publishing Ltd East Coast Main Line Locomotive Haulage
Book SynopsisThis book is a companion to the work West Coast Main Line Locomotive Haulage and gives a flavour of the many varieties of locomotives and other rolling stock that have operated over the East Coast Main Line, including details of its creation and operation. Utilizing over 20 maps and drawings, useful information on line speeds and gradients is also provided. It explores the usage of both diesels and electric locos on this line, and ends with a reflection on what the future may hold for this invaluable route. With over 150 images, this volume is an all-encompassing look at locomotive haulage on the ECML.
£14.39
Key Publishing Ltd Electrostar: Capital Commuter
Book SynopsisAt the turn of the millennium, a large percentage of the passenger services around London and the South East were operated by 'slam-door' Mark 1 stock that was life expired. To replace these, a number of new designs were produced. The offering by Bombardier was the Electrostar platform, which was produced in Derby and developed to meet the needs of the various train operating companies in the area. The almost insatiable demand for the Electrostar was such that production lasted 18 years and 2,085 vehicles were produced, including some for South Africa. This book illustrates the different types of units and liveries of the Electrostars, dispelling any thought that electric multiple units are all the same. The Electrostar has come to dominate the railway scene around London and is likely to continue to for some time to come, despite new-generation units starting to appear. With nearly 200 previously unpublished images, this book gives an overview of the routes they have worked, or are still working, as well as the different companies that these unsung heroes of the everyday railway have served.
£15.29
Key Publishing Ltd Class 57s
Book SynopsisThe Class 57 diesel locomotive was an outgrowth of the tremendously successful and iconic Class 47. Rebuilt from redundant Class 47s by Brush Traction at Loughborough between 1998 and 2003, the 33 resulting Class 57s are themselves divided into three sub-classes for differing purposes. Twelve are Class 57/0 for Freightliner to haul intermodal trains; 16 are 'Thunderbirds', commissioned by Virgin Trains to rescue failed Class 390 electric units on the West Coast Main Line; and five are dedicated to passenger use on Great Western Railway's 'Night Riviera' sleeper service. Featuring an EMD V12 two-stroke diesel engine and other modifications, the conversions represented a considerable cost saving over that of building completely new locomotives. Known irreverently as 'bodysnatchers', the Class 57s have filled a gap in available traction for the last two decades and the fleet is intact today, continuing to see use with various TOCs and have a future ensured by overhaul. All 33 locos are depicted in this volume, with over 200 images, showing the Class 57s in a variety of duties over the last 20 years.
£15.29
Key Publishing Ltd Class 37s Volume 2
£15.29
Key Publishing Ltd Railways of Central Scotland 40 Years of Change
£15.29
European Rail Timetable Limited European Rail Timetable Spring 2022
£19.94
Stenlake Publishing Hampshire's Lost Railways
Book Synopsis
£999.99
Stenlake Publishing Central Scotland's Last Days of Steam
Book Synopsis
£999.99
Stenlake Publishing Lost Railways of Galway and the North West
£9.00
Stenlake Publishing The Lost Railways of Yorkshire's North Riding
£11.35
Stenlake Publishing The Lost Railways of Yorkshire's West Riding:
Book Synopsis
£11.35
