Search results for ""Author Mike""

Long before Wyoming was officially part of the union, the Wyoming Territory played a crucial role in westward expansion of the United States as the first transcontinental railroad was built into the area by Union Pacific in 1862, bound for a meeting with Central Pacific in Utah in 1869. Modernised, this ‘Overland Route’ today bustles with traffic, as trains thunder across the state on main lines destined for California and Pacific Northwest. More recently, Wyoming’s expansive Powder River Basin has provided gargantuan amounts of coal tonnage for both UP/Chicago & North Western and Burlington Northern/BNSF. Even though it appears that this prodigious coal traffic has peaked, there is still plenty of trains to be seen moving out of the basin. Additionally, BNSF has a secondary main line that traverses through some extraordinary scenery as it heads north and west toward connections in Montana. All in all, railroads crossing the wonderful Rocky Mountains and High Plains of the ‘Cowboy State’ are certainly a beholder’s delight.

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At one time, it seemed as though every canyon and pass leading into Colorado’s high country was a path laid with 3-foot gauge narrow gauge railroad. Dreams of tapping the riches of mining discoveries in mountain locations made this almost true. But mining can be a fleeting adventure, and as the state matured, so too did the railroads that crisscrossed it. Many railways succumbed to disappearing tonnage, becoming trackless trails among the mountainsides. But on many routes, the railroads of Colorado have flourished and provide necessary transportation avenues for a modern economy. In addition, tucked away in several corners of the state are remnants of Colorado’s narrow gauge past, still steam-powered and now lively to the tune of tourist dollars. Popular state slogan ‘Colorful Colorado’ describes this incredible place well, and is assuredly most appropriate while viewing the wonders of railroading in the spectacular Rocky Mountains of the West.

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Unlike most people Matt Beckford is actually looking forward to turning thirty. At last, he thinks his career, finances and love life are all sorted. But life has other plans, and after splitting up with his girlfriend Matt is forced to move back in with his parents.This scenario soon has Matt feeling nostalgic, and desperate for some sanity. So, one by one, he tracks down his old school mates - the rest of the Magnificent Seven.But when you're turning thirty nothing's as simple as it used to be.

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Ian Greening loves his job at the Department of Work and Pensions. It might not be the best paid job in the world but it gives him lots of scope for fun. He loves his girlfriend, Emma, too.But when Emma is made redundant, and gets a temping job in Ian's office, he doesn't like it at all. Emma only knows Home Ian - and Work Ian is a different kettle of fish. Spending twenty-four hours a day together is too much of a good thing. But how can he tell her that without hurting her?Ian comes up with a plan to get things back the way they were. But it puts his relationship at risk and forces Ian to decide which really matters most: the job, or Emma.A sweet, funny novel about love and work.

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The Stag and Hen Weekend is the story of Phil and Helen, a couple in their thirties about to commit their lives to one another . . . that is of course if they can just manage to get through their respective stag and hen weekends (his: Amsterdam; hers: a country house and day spa in the Peak District) without falling apart. Told in the unique form of two separate stories that have common characters as well as themes and conclusion, The Stag and Hen Weekend can be read from front to back or from back to front putting the reader in the driver's seat as to which story they wish to read first. Feisty, fun and thought provoking.

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Determined to do his bit Des Evans absconded from a reserved occupation and joined the newly formed Reconnaissance Corps. He saw action in North Africa and Italy before being evacuated back to England with pneumonia in early 1944. Fully recovered he volunteered as a wireless operator with 1st Airborne Reconnaissance Squadron and after parachute training joined C Troop before the ill-fated but glorious attempt to seize the Rhine Bridge at Arnhem. Des vividly describes the intense action that followed the drop. Ambushed twice and badly wounded he was made a POW and eventually succeeded in escaping. Fresh first-hand accounts of the bitter fighting at Arnhem are rare indeed and this one is brutally honest, at times shockingly so. Des Evans was born in Liverpool in 1923. Despite being in a Reserve Occupation he finally succeeded in joining the Army. This book covers his wartime service in North Africa, Italy and at Arnhem. Post war he served in Italy, Palestine, Germany and the Suez Canal Zone. Cuckolded by his first wife he was convicted of the manslaughter of her lover. On release from prison he met Betty and they enjoyed nearly 40 years together until dementia necessitated residential care. Betty died in March 2010 and Des followed her three months later.

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What was it really like growing up in the 1940s? There are tales of being dragged from bombed out homes and of watching dog fights in the skies above. Of evacuation and a clash of cultures between city centre kids and their country cousins. All endured strict discipline at school and a shortage of food due to stringent rationing. Bomb sites provided ready made adventure playgrounds. Pleasures were simple with a weekly pilgrimage to the local cinema for Saturday morning pictures. Sales of comics boomed and Enid Blyton churned out countless books generally loved by the young. The arrival of the Americans caused a flutter of excitement for children and quite a few of their elder sisters and mums too. Just when it appeared it was all over there was a new threat as buzz bombs brought fear and devastation. Eventually there was a brief moment of celebration with VE Day followed by a massive victory parade. Austerity continued to gnaw away, not helped by cold winters with frost lining the inside of window frames. Returning fathers were often unwanted strangers whilst some returning were confronted with babies fathered by other men. There was much to be sorted out. Mike Hutton takes you back to a different world. One where streets offered live theatre populated by knife grinders, rat catchers and the cries of the rag and bone man. The skinny army of the 1940s are old now but their stories live on. Some are desperately sad, all warmly nostalgic whilst others are quite hilarious.

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Edinburgh is reputed to have more buildings designated as of ‘special architectural or historic interest’ than any other city in the world. These range from rows of Georgian terraced houses and individual Victorian tenement blocks to such diverse structures as the diminutive Greyfriars Bobby sculpture and the Forth Rail Bridge. Many of the buildings were constructed from sandstone, from a proliferation of local quarries and which could be found in a variety of different colours. The city’s local transport system has a similarly rich history, and this book looks to celebrate these two popular elements in the city’s contemporary setting. Featuring unique and previously unpublished images of Lothian Transport buses sharing the scene with some of these historic buildings, this book will delight anybody who shares a fondness for Auld Reekie.

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Winter 1984/5 – the future for the Cambridge–King’s Lynn ‘Fen Line’ looked bleak. British Rail had singled long track sections. There had been closure talk. Yet, following a vigorous three year political and technical campaign, government approval for its electrification was granted in February 1989. Construction work was drawn out and suffered setbacks, so it wasn’t until August 1992 that electric trains finally started operating on the 41-mile-long line. At first passengers were fairly thin on the ground, but as the years progressed growth (fuelled by commuting into Cambridge and, to a lesser extent, London) meant trains gradually became very overcrowded. Extensive works to upgrade the line to take longer trains have now come on stream. As well as a new Cambridge North, there are well-developed plans for other new stations. Concentrating mainly north of Cambridge, this book illustrates the trains that run from Kings Cross and Liverpool Street to Ely and King’s Lynn via Cambridge, many of the types and liveries seen, and the extensive infrastructure works that have taken place over the last thirty-or-so years. Mike Beckett was a strategic planner at King’s Lynn & West Norfolk Borough Council at the time of the electrification campaign. With a personal as well as professional interest in transport, he maintains a photographic record of the line’s many changes and has drawn on his collection to produce this book.

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Windswept vistas. Scorched canyons. Glorious scenes of snow and ice. This book shows the North American landscape in all its breathtaking glory, cleaved by the continent’s powerful locomotives and captured in a series of stunning original photographs by leading railway artist Mike Danneman. Evoking the romance, drama and beauty of the railways, this wonderful collection of images presents the full breadth of jaw-dropping backdrops offered by this vast expanse of land. The contrast between raw motive power and bucolic peace creates scenes that will delight anybody who wants to enjoy the full majesty of North America from their own home.

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Wisconsin, known affectionately as America’s Dairyland, is in the upper Midwest, bordered by Lake Michigan on the east and the Mississippi River to the west. By nature of its geography, Wisconsin has a variety of secondary and branch lines serving an interior of forests and farms, as well as main lines connecting cities like Milwaukee and Minneapolis/St Paul. Trains traverse 3,253 miles of rail lines in Wisconsin hauling everything from agricultural products, ore, and coal to finished goods in containers. Probably best known as the home of the Milwaukee Road, the state’s railroads have continued to go though some amazing transformations over the last few decades. Colourful railroads like Milwaukee Road, Soo Line and Chicago & North Western have transformed into today’s Canadian Pacific, Canadian National and Union Pacific, with some dazzling spinoff railroads along the way. Wisconsin may be well known because of its cheese, beer and Harley-Davidson motorcycles, but with a stunning selection of photographs Mike Danneman ensures the reader doesn’t forget about its fascinating railroads.

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Bus garages, or depots if that is your preferred nomenclature, come in all shapes and sizes and have their origins in the tram depots that were established by the various tramway companies of the pre-electrification era. Tram depots were originally built for horse-drawn and steam-hauled tramcars and, in the case of the former, often had stables attached. Hardly any two bus garages were the same as they varied in both size and type of construction. Some, such as London Transport’s Stockwell garage (which is still in use) and Salford Corporation’s Frederick Road tram/bus depot, could be considered architectural gems. The capacity of a garage could vary enormously; examples of this were Ribble Motor’s outstation at Bowness-on-Solway with space to garage just one bus and Oldham Corporation’s Wallshaw Street garage, which when built was designed to hold 300 buses under one roof. There are still a significant number of former tram depots functioning as bus garages, but they are on the decline. The deregulation of bus services in 1986 changed the course of the bus industry forever. As undertakings were privatised and sold off during the 1990s, the new operators moved out of their inherited garages and set up more low-cost establishments. These generally consisted of a moderately sized maintenance building and a large open-air parking area.

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Tiffany Tudwell is cursed. She once tripped and fell face-first into a trash can. She had pink eye on picture day. One time she tried to hold back a sneeze and farted on the cutest boy in class. She longs for the spotlight but knows it's safer to stay hidden in the shadows. Until the night two meteors collide over her backyard, giving Tiffany the ability to steal people's talents for a day-like taking mean girl Candace's beautiful singing voice in the middle of rehearsal. Her power even gets the attention of the most popular boy in school, the smooth-talking Brady Northrup. But her powers can't solve everything-or can they? When a local philanthropist holds a fundraiser contest, Tiffany knows this is her chance to save her dad's failing planetarium, and finally step into the spotlight.

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Drawing on eyewitness accounts, this excellent book paints a graphic picture of the battle that was at the very center of Hitler's last gamble. Numerous photos through the text illustrate then and now scenes and bring to life the epic battle. Maps clearly show the progress of events and practical information is given to the reader about visiting the town of Bastogne today.

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When the Dutch East Indiaman Batavia struck an uncharted reef off the new continent of Australia on her maiden voyage in 1629, 332 men, women and children were on board. While some headed off in a lifeboat to seek help, 250 of the survivors ended up on a tiny coral island less than half a mile long. A band of mutineers, whose motives were almost beyond comprehension, then started on a cold-blooded killing spree, leaving fewer than 80 people alive when the rescue boat arrived three months later. BATAVIA'S GRAVEYARD tells this strange story as a gripping narrative structured around three strong principal characters: Francisco Pelsaert, the cultivated but weak-willed captain; Jeronimus Cornelisz, a sinister apothecary with a terrifying personal philosophy influenced by Rosicrucianism who set himself up as the ruler of the island; and Wiebbe Hayes, the only survivor with the courage to fight Jeronimus's band. The background to these events, including the story of the Dutch East India Company, and the discovery of Australia, is richly drawn.

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First Published as Enemy Action. September, 1940. With London having endured the Blitz for nearly a month, people are calling for vengeance, but once again the night heralds more destruction. In Custom House, anxious residents dutifully head to the nearest public air-raid shelter as the warning siren wails. When dawn brings the all-clear, people disperse, but one man remains - he is dead, stabbed through the heart. Detective Inspector John Jago discovers that the victim was a pacifist. But why, then, was he carrying a loaded revolver in his pocket?

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First published as Firing Line. October, 1940. Bombs are falling on Stratford when air-raid warden Sylvia Parks sees a house with a shining light, in clear breach of the city's strict blackout rules. With no answer at the door she manages to break in, only to discover the body of a young woman, strangled to death with a stocking. For Detective Inspector John Jago, the scene brings back memories of the gruesome Soho Strangler, who murdered four women a few years ago but has never been caught - could there be a connection?

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Aunt Min's baby arrives in this faith-based storybook starring the Berenstain Bears!The Berenstain Bears Gifts of the Spirit series celebrates the joy of faith, family, and friends—values essential to a wholesome and fulfilling life! This 32-page Berenstain Bears storybook, created by Mike Berenstain, son of Stan and Jan Berenstain, includes a soon-to-be classic story about the joy of caring for family and friends!

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This is the second title in the important new series from Oxford which provides accessible introductions to the ideas, facts, and vocabulary behind an absorbing range of subjects. Meticulously researched and authoritative but written in simple language by experts in their fields, curious young readers will quickly get to grips with the basic principles and terminology of each subject. The Secrets of the Universe explains, in clear and interesting way, the theories of the beginning of the Universe, what it is, how it works, the lives of stars, and possible futures. The engaging design highlights the Heroes of the subject from early beginnings to modern day and explains tricky terminology in 'Speak like a Scientist' features. Comic strips and illustrations, amazing photographs, and a timeline, glossary and, index, all make this handy-sized book the perfect way to learn. If you love this title, why not collect them all? The Secrets of the Universe is part of a collectible set which will build into a diverse range of subjects.

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Publisher's Note: Products purchased from Third Party sellers are not guaranteed by the publisher for quality, authenticity, or access to any online entitlements included with the product.A practical medium- and heavy-duty truck systemsFeaturing more than 100 in-depth lab exercises, this hands-on guide provides the practice you need to succeed as a medium- and heavy-duty truck service technician. The labs meet and exceed NATEF standards. Every system is thoroughly covered--from electrical and lighting to brakesand transmissions.Each lab includes: Objective of the lab Safety precautions Tools needed to complete the lab Challenging review questions help to reinforce the topics covered and are patterned after the typical questions found on the ASE Medium/Heavy Duty Truck Certification tests (T3 through T8). Written by an expert with decades of experience as an automotive and diesel technician and instructor, this lab manual is the perfectcompanion to the comprehensive text, Truckand Trailer Systems.Truck and Trailer Systems Lab Manual covers: Vehicle identification numbers Engine, transmission, and drive axle ID tag numbers Safety Tools and measuring equipment Basic electrical Magnetism Batteries Starting system Charging system Lighting and wiring Computer systems Mobile heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning systems Tires, wheels, and wheel end systems Frames and suspensions Steering systems Trailers and fifth wheels Hydraulic brake systems Air brake foundation brakes Air brake air system Anti-lock brake systems Drive lines Clutches Drive axles Single and twin countershaft manual transmissions Automated manual transmissions Automatic transmissions Allison automatic transmissions PMI Auxiliary power units

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‘A cracking read.’ IOLO WILLIAMS ‘What an incredible achievement!’ ALISON STEADMAN ‘An inspirational odyssey.’ NICK BAKER 'Immediately accessible.' BBC COUNTRYFILE - Mike Dilger's nationwide quest to find 1,000 wild plant species in a single year. For most of 2020, Mike Dilger’s day-job of travelling to the four corners of the British Isles all but disappeared. Having been confined to one place by the Covid pandemic, and with daily dog walks his sole permitted outdoor pursuit, the simple pleasure of getting to know the flowers at his feet reignited a long-buried botanical passion. Now Mike is on a mission: to see a thousand different wild plants in one calendar year, and assess how our fascinating flora is faring in modern Britain. From Cornwall to Kent and Breckland to the Scottish Highlands, Mike meets the resilient reserve wardens and courageous conservationists tasked with protecting some of the nation’s richest botanical sites, and experiences first-hand the many difficulties associated with saving our rarest and most charismatic plants. Taking in city centres, mountain tops and every conceivable habitat in between, One Thousand Shades of Green is a manifesto on how to love and conserve our green and pleasant land, and celebrates the beauty and diversity of the nation’s plants.

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Twenty-three spellbinding tales of sorcery, wizardry and witchcraft, of the ceaseless battle between good and evil. From dark lords and epic clashes between the forces of good and evil to a child's struggle to control magical powers for the first time this wonderfully varied collection comprises stories by the most outstanding writers of fantasy: A. C. Benson, James Bibby, Marion Zimmer Bradley, Louise Cooper, Ralph Adams Cram, Peter Crowther, Esther M. Friesner, Tom Holt, Doug Hornig, Diana Wynne Jones, Michael Kurland, Tim Lebbon, Ursula K. Le Guin, Richard A. Lupoff, Michael Moorcock, John Morressy, Tim Pratt, David Sandner, Lawrence Schimel and Mike Resnick, Darrell Schweitzer, Clark Ashton Smith, Steve Rasnic Tem and Robert Weinberg.

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A cop killer on the loose in Cardiff - introducing a dark and gritty new voice in crime fiction, perfect for fans of Stuart MacBride and David MarkAt a squalid flat near the Cardiff docks, an early morning police raid goes catastrophically wrong when the police aren't the only unexpected guests. A plain clothes officer is shot dead at point blank range, the original suspect is left in a coma. The killer, identity unknown, slips away. Young and inexperienced, Will MacReady starts his first day on the CID. With the city in shock and the entire force reeling, he is desperate to help ­- but unearths truths that lead the team down an increasingly dark path...

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