Search results for ""Author Peter Johnson""

Railways have been used for the carriage of mail since soon after the Liverpool & Manchester Railway opened in 1830, the development of the first travelling post offices following, enabling the Post Office to achieve maximum efficiencies in mail transportation. As the rail network grew the mail network grew with it, reaching a peak with the dedicated mail trains that ran between London and Aberdeen. The Post Office also turned to railways when it sought a solution to the London traffic that hindered its operations in the Capital, obtaining powers to build its own narrow gauge, automatic underground railway under the streets to connect railway stations and sorting offices. Although construction and completion were delayed by the First World War, the Post Office (London) Railway was eventually brought into use and was an essential part of Post Office operations for many years. Changing circumstances brought an end to both the travelling post offices and the underground railway but mail is still carried, in bulk, by train and a part of the railway has found a new life as the Mail Rail tourist attraction. Author Peter Johnson has delved into the archives and old newspapers to uncover the inside story of the Post Office and its use of railways to carry the mail for nearly 200 years.

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Built to carry minerals from mines in the Rheidol valley, the 2ft gauge Vale of Rheidol Railway found its niche carrying tourists to the tourist attraction at Devil's Bridge, 12 miles inland from the Cardigan coast resort of Aberystwyth. Taken over by the Cambrian Railways and then the Great Western Railway, it became the last steam railway operated by British Rail. In 1989 it became the first part of the national network to be privatised. Now under the control of a charitable trust it is undergoing a revival that will see it become one of the leading tourist attractions in Mid-Wales.

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Rugby Union Threequarter Play is a technical playing guide that examines the demands of each of the positions in the threequarters, and analyses the specific positional roles and responsibilities. The book will help coaches to place the right player in the right position.

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This important book, a successor volume to European Industries, brings together a number of in-depth and authoritative studies of key European industries, providing fascinating insights into their nature and characteristics.Each case study examines the recent development, structure, behaviour and performance of the industry in question, and explores competition and other policy issues. The featured industries were selected to illustrate the wide range of cost, demand and policy environments within which European business operates. The thirteen studies encompass: agriculture, energy, food processing, brewing, pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, metals, motor vehicles, air transport, financial services, business services, defence industries and tourism. Together they account for over 40 percent of employment outside the public sector. Industries in Europe is ideal reading for those seeking a comprehensive introduction to a particular industry and guidance on further study. The book will also prove important reading for students of industrial organisation and related subjects, particularly as a source for case study material.

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This book brings together thirty years of original empirical research on key aspects of the formation and development of small firms from selected articles authored or co-authored by Peter Johnson. Complete with a comprehensive introduction from the author placing the work in relation to the contemporary debates on the subject and providing a cohesive overview, these essays provide an excellent historical context for current research in this area. Many of the studies in this book emphasise the interrelatedness of economic activity and decisions, an emphasis that serves as an important reminder of the complex business environments in which small firms operate. The book is divided into five sections. The first part focuses on the process of business formation. In part two, the role of new firms in regional development is considered. The third section deals with employment issues, whilst part four looks at various aspects of growth and development. Finally, the book concludes with two articles on policy.

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Retirement and the impending move to his new family home will be challenging for workaholic Headmaster John Stevens after years of being at the top of the professional tree. His wife Sally, a highly respected GP, intends to work for at least another five years. Can he adjust to being the partner at home? And has he spent too much time with other people’s children and neglected his own? To make matters worse, within weeks of leaving his post John’s life is thrown into turmoil and he needs all his strength and resilience to cope. His weaknesses as a parent are exposed, family tensions are heightened and unsettling questions about his marriage are raised. “Life’s always been about him and his job.”

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On their final day at Oakwood Primary two talented pupils, Sam Martin, the best in school at sport, and Charlie Woods, its brightest academic prospect, go head to head in the Year 6 fifty metre dash. It is a day neither of them will forget. Afterwards, they go their separate ways to different schools. Charlie achieves her goal of gaining a place to read engineering at Imperial College London and Sam fulfils his dream of winning a professional rugby contract but struggles with the physical and mental pressures inherent in playing sport for a living. When life changing events bring the two together again, can the spark of friendship that Sam and Charlie felt when they were young be rekindled? A story of loss, love, frustrated ambitions and shattered hopes unfolds as they strive to overcome their emotional and physical challenges.

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Opened in 1836 as a horse tramway using gravity to carry slate from Blaenau Ffestiniog to Porthmadog, by the 1920s the Festiniog Railway had left its years of technical innovation and high profits long behind. After the First World War, the railway s path led inexorably to closure, to passengers in 1939 and goods in 1946\. After years of abandonment, visionary enthusiasts found a way to take control of the railway and starting its restoration in 1955\. Not only did they have to fight the undergrowth, they also had to fight a state-owned utility which had appropriated a part of the route. All problems were eventually overcome and a 2 mile deviation saw services restored to Blaenau Ffestiniog in 1982\. Along the way, the railway found its old entrepreneurial magic, building new steam locomotives and carriages, and rebuilding the Welsh highland Railway, to become a leading 21st century tourist attraction. Historian Peter Johnson, well known for his books on Welsh railways, has delved into the archives and previously untapped sources to produce this new history, a must-read for enthusiasts and visitors alike. The Festiniog Railway s pre-1921 history is covered in Peter Johnson s book, Festiniog Railway the Spooner era and after 1830-1920, also published by Pen & Sword Transport.

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The north Wales seaside resort of Llandudno developed in the 1850s from a scatter of small settlements on the slopes of the Great Orme. The Iron Age defences of Pen Dinas hill fort and the presence of Roman coin hoards suggest local military conflict, and skirmishes are recorded from the time of the Vikings. In later centuries the focus for military activity stretches a mile or so down the Conwy Valley to the castles of Deganwy and battles between Welsh and English. Llandudno became embroiled in the invasion of Edward I when he gave the Bishop of Bangor land on the Great Orme to build a ‘palace’. This was sacked in Owain Glyndwr’s revolt of the early 1400s. With the rise of Britain’s empire copper was mined, partly to provide cladding for the wooden-hulled ships of her navy. By the twentieth century significant military training establishments were based in the area, as were prisoner-of-war camps and convalescent homes for military personnel. In 1915 a German U-boat attempted to pick up escaped POWs in Llandudno Bay, and the town was chosen as the new location for the Royal Artillery’s Coast Artillery School and the Inland Revenue. In Llandudno’s Military Heritage authors Peter Johnson and Adrian Hughes cover all this and more, showing the impact that the military has had on this north Wales town, its combatants and its citizens over the centuries.

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This important book presents an authoritative, up-to-date examination of a number of major industries in Europe. It offers valuable insights into the nature of industrial activity in Europe, as well as providing comprehensive introductions to a series of key industries, such as defence, construction, tourism and biotechnology. Under the guidance of editor Peter Johnson, a team of specialist contributors presents authoritative case study material on aspects of industrial structure, behaviour and performance in Europe. The primary, secondary and tertiary sectors are all represented as are industries, with special characteristics such as those with a long history of public sector ownership. The selection of industries is designed to show the variety of ways in which the European 'dimension' is reflected in industrial activities and awareness. In addition, the book analyses the development, operation and effectiveness of EC policy and the way that policy interacts with the policies of individual countries.European Industries will rapidly become established as an important source of reference which will be of value to students, researchers and all those concerned with the economic future of an integrated Europe.

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Crowood Sports Guides provide sound, practical advice that will help make you a better player whether you are learning the basic skills, discovering more advanced techniques or reviewing the fundamentals of your game.

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One of Wales' oldest narrow gauge railways, the 2ft 3in gauge Corris Railway was built to carry slate from several quarries in the Dulas valley to wharves on the river Dyfi. At first forbidden to use steam locomotives or to carry passengers, it overcame these obstacles and became an essential part of the community that it served. It was also a forerunner in encouraging tourists, offering inclusive tours to nearby Talyllyn, passengers travelling on the train and on railway-operated road services. Taken over by the Great Western Railway in 1930, the railway was closed by British Railways in 1948, apparently for good. Fortunately, the last two steam locomotives and some rolling stock was saved by the nearby Talyllyn Railway, where it played an essential role in that railway's preservation. Eventually, the thoughts of enthusiasts turned to reviving the Corris Railway, and, after many twists and turns, the first passengers were carried on a short section in 2002. Historian Peter Johnson has delved into many sources to uncover the intricacies of the railway's origins, its development, operation and revival.

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Tourism is frequently seen as a way of creating new employment opportunities in those regions which have suffered from severe de-industrialization and major cutbacks in manufacturing industry.This important book - based on new and original research - examines the economic impact, measured in employment terms, of the North of England Open Air Museum at Beamish. The authors provide a detailed assessment of the direct, indirect and induced employment generated by the museum. The assessment of the museum's employment impact is placed firmly within the context of its historical development and of the region's tourism activity.Tourism, Museums and the Local Economy focuses on one particular museum, but the methodology and much of the discussion are widely applicable to the evaluation of other tourist attractions. The policy implications of the study are fully assessed by the authors who also make use of a series of international comparisons. The book will be of interest to economists, geographers and all those who have an interest in tourism, the arts and museums, and regional development. It will be an invaluable asset to planners and policymakers at both central and local government level.

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The 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.

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