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Books > Sport & Leisure > Transport: general interest > Trains & railways: general interest
During much of his early career, from 1944 through to the early
1960s, Richard Hardy took hundreds of pictures of life on the
railways and the men he knew and worked with on a daily basis,
using his trusty Brownie 620 box camera. These unique behind the
scenes images form a fascinating and hugely evocative portrayal of
Britain at the height of the era of steam, during the time of the
'Big Four', and after 1947 when the sprawling nationalised network
known as British Railways came of age. The second edition contains
many new unseen photos which capture the railways in wartime,
providing a valuable social record of the nation at war. In
addition there is a sequence of rare photographs of French engines,
railways and railwaymen, offering a superb contrast to the British
rail network (it quickly becomes evident that the British rail
system ran on tea, whereas the French system ran on wine). Great
characters are the unifying theme of the pictures, and they include
famous figures associated with the railways, such as the poet John
Betjeman. This wonderfully illustrated book sets Richard's personal
photographs and text alongside a carefully collated selection of
ephemera, artworks and photographs drawn from the National Railway
Museum in York. Collectively these images and artefacts tell the
stories of the great brotherhood of railwaymen, brilliantly evoking
the speed, heat and dust of the footplate.
Once the industrial heartland of Britain, North East England had a
bustling network of railways. Whether on the East Coast Main Line,
local branches or industrial tracks, there was much of interest for
the railway enthusiast. Over 200 colour and black-and-white
photographs are presented here at a number of locations across the
area, such as: Bishop Auckland, Darlington, Durham, Gateshead,
Middlesbrough, Newcastle, Sunderland, and Stockton. The
highly-evocative scenes have been captured by several well-known
photographers at stations, sheds, workshops and the lineside. Many
of the classes associated with the North East are included: Gresley
A3, A4, D49, V2; Peppercorn A1 and K1; Thompson B1; Raven Q6 and
Q7; Worsdell J27; War Department 'Austerity'; British Railways 9F.
Several industrial locomotives are seen at work at places such as
Ashington Colliery, Lambton Colliery, Pallion Shipyard, etc.
Coupled with interesting and informative captions, North East Steam
presents a vibrant, though sadly long-lost era of British history.
Bob Reid's Railway Revolution describes the life and career of the
first Bob Reid, always known as Bob Reid One, and the history of
the railways since nationalisation. It shows how the organisational
changes he forced through when Chief Executive from 1980 to 1990
turned British Rail into one of the best railways in Europe. His
reforms, described as revolutionary, saw Inter-City become
profitable, the creation of Network SouthEast and for the first
time in 30 years, a growth in passenger numbers and freight.
A photographic journey of the ever changing railway scene of
southern England stretching from Cornwall to the Kent Coast, served
from 1953 to the present day by the Southern Region and its
successors. When our story begins steam west of the Portsmouth man
line still reigns supreme whilst much of the rest of the network is
served by Southern Electric. Many of the trains at work in 1953
were of pre-1939 origin, some even dating back to the first decade
of the 20th century, although the influence of Oliver Bullied's
revolutionary semi-streamline pacifics and high capacity suburban
electric multiple units pointed to the future. By 1967 diesel would
replace steam, and electrification would spread, whilst many less
well used lines in Hampshire, Dorset, Devon and Cornwall would
close. Electrification had begun in the London area in the early
1900s, expanding to the Kent, Sussex and east Hampshire coasts, in
the process creating the greatest main line electrified system in
the world: this would continue down to today.
Originally published in 1983, this volume examines one of the most
long-standing major commercial water-arteries of Western and
Central Europe: The Rhine. Since the mid 20th Century its
importance has been given new stimulus by the intensified mobility
of economic circulation generated by the EU – forming as it does
a common axis to that organisation’s original six members. The
Rhine is one of the world’s busiest rivers and therefore provides
an excellent case study in the development of inland waterway
transport, not only because of its complex physical nature, but
also because of the diversity of economic, social and political
patterns along its course.
Originally published in 1979, this volume is an invaluable study of
a railway system and its adjustment to changing
political-geographical conditions, as well as changes in economic
and social geography. Each change in the territorial extent or in
the internal territorial-administrative organisation of Germany has
had its repercussions upon the spatial pattern of the country’s
economy and consequently upon the demand for transport.
Furthermore, the central position of Germany within the continent
has given an added importance to the role of its railways in the
overall pattern of the European railway system. For the transport
geographer the comparisons and contrasts with the British railway
system are particularly insightful.
This book is an interesting collection of essays on the Railways in
Colonial South Asia. The book introduces the key concepts which
have now entered the study of railway history, e.g. economy,
ecology, culture, health and crime through the various essays. The
well researched essays include those on the Imperial Railways in
nineteenth century South Asia, Pakistan Railway, Impact of railway
expansion on the Himalayan forests, development of the Sri Lankan
Railways, a study of the European employees of the BB & CI
Railways, problems of Indian Railway up to c. ad 1900, railways in
Gujarati literature and tradition, mapping the Gaikwad Baroda State
Railway on the colonial rail network, coming of railways in Bihar,
expansion of railway to colonial Orissa, etc. This book will be of
immense value to those researching on various dimensions of railway
transport in colonial South Asia. It can also be read by the more
perceptive general reader exploring books on railways. Please note:
Taylor & Francis does not sell or distribute the Hardback in
India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.
No railway journey on Earth can equal the Trans-Siberian between
Moscow and Vladivostok. It is not just its vast length and the
great variety of the lands and climes through which it passes. It
is not just its history as the line that linked the huge
territories which are Russia together. It is a dream which calls
countless travellers to the adventure of the longest railway in the
world. This new edition of a classic anthology takes us through the
tremendous achievement of the railways construction across harsh,
unsettled lands through the earliest journeys of Western travellers
and the trains on which they travelled, and their descriptions of
fellow travellers, food, scenery, domestic arrangements, adventures
on and off the train, convicts, revolution and war as the train
carried them through a lonely, lovely landscape.
Widely known as England's most scenic line, the enduring Settle
& Carlisle Railway was built by the Midland between 1869 and
1876, as part of its quest to forge its own, independent route to
Scotland. It is, uniquely for a railway in the UK, a Conservation
Area in its own right - viaducts, tunnels, bridges, stations,
trackside structures and railway workers' cottages. By walking all
or parts of the route from Settle to Carlisle, you get the chance
to get up close to the railway's magnificent architecture - but
also to see the lonely and lofty fells, and stunning scenery from
the Dales through the Pennines to the limestone pavements of
Westmorland and the green Eden Valley. In the company of this
knowledgeable guide, you'll also discover centuries' worth of local
history and traditions: Roman remains, medieval castles, and the
Romany who still meet at the annual Appleby Horse Fair gathering.
First Steps in Railway Modelling: The Bachmann Way is based on the
late Cyril Freezer's popular guide First Steps in Railway
Modelling, which was first published in 1988 and provided a
completely practical guide to starting out as a newcomer to railway
modelling. As one would expect from the former editor of the
magazine Railway Modeller, his book is a brilliant first steps
guide to all the many complexities of the hobby, from baseboard
construction, planning and laying out the track, to creating
realistic scenery, plus a whole host of topics essential to the
beginner at railway modelling. Although more than 20 years old, the
book remains as relevant today as it was when it was first
published and is now being reprinted with a new chapter on the one
major area of omission from the original; the arrival of Digital
Control Command (DCC) which has rapidly become the standard on
model railway layouts. Apart from the new section giving practical
advice on implementing DCC, there is additional material on
weathering and track plans and a significant number of images in
the main section of the book will be replaced and updated and the
usefulness of the book will be hugely increased by the introduction
of colour for the first time. A brilliant buy for all those wanting
a practical, hands on, how-to guide to the subject.
The London Midland Region covered a huge part of England from
London to the north and north west, from the Scottish borders into
the south west. It served huge metropolitan cities and towns,
supported heavy industry, and ran through areas of outstanding
natural beauty such as the Peak District and Lake District.
Modelling the Midland Region from 1948 is an essential guide to
creating your own model based on the London Midland Region of the
British Railways era. It covers the history of the London Midland
Region; British Rail and LMS locomotives; passenger and goods
rolling stock; structures and scenery unique to the region, and
signalling and electrification. The authors of this book are
trustees of the charity Famous Trains model railway and directors
of its operating company Famous Trains Ltd.
Greater Manchester covers an area of 493 square miles and is a
diverse part of North West England, it is home to 2.8 million
people. At its heart is the vibrant and ever-changing City of
Manchester, the large conurbation having borders with Lancashire,
West Yorkshire, Derbyshire, Cheshire and Merseyside. It has a
complex, varied and historic heavy rail network that contains
ninety-six stations on a 142 mile network, part of which was the
first passenger railway in the World. Greater Manchester is also
home to the largest light rail system in the UK - The Metrolink
Tram system has a current network of 57 miles and 93 stops, its
expansion has aided some traffic reduction in an area that has the
highest percentage of Motorway network than any other county in the
UK. Network Greater Manchester is a detailed photographic journey
over the system that chronicles the constantly changing scene since
the late 1970's to the present day and illustrates how the
services, rolling stock and infrastructure have changed with the
passage of time.
In mid-1964, Keith Widdowson got wind that the Western Region was
hell-bent on being the first to eliminate the steam locomotive on
its tracks by December 1965. The 17-year-old hurriedly homed in on
train services still in the hands of GWR steam power, aiming to
catch runs with the last examples before their premature
annihilation. The Great Western Steam Retreat recalls Widdowson's
teenage exploits, soundtracked by hits from the Beatles, the Kinks
and the Rolling Stones, throughout the Western Region and former
Great Western Railway lines. He documents the extreme disorder that
resulted from that decision, paying tribute to the train crews who
managed to meet demanding timings in the face of declining
cleanliness, the poor quality of coal and the major problem of
recruiting both footplate and shed staff. This book completes the
author's Steam Chase series and provides a snapshot into the
comradery that characterised the final years of steam alongside the
long-gone journeys that can never be recreated.
Bringing together around 5,000 square miles of land, the West
Midlands region boasted a diverse system of railways. These ranged
from the main lines connecting the north and south of Britain to
small branches, as well as cross-country routes and local lines.
The Last Years of West Midlands Steam records this area in the
1948-1967 period - using nearly 250 superb colour and
black-and-white images - when the days of steam reached their peak.
The book covers the smaller West Midlands county, Herefordshire,
Shropshire, Staffordshire, Warwickshire and Worcestershire. Several
cities in the area appear: Birmingham, Coventry, Hereford,
Lichfield, Stoke-on-Trent, Wolverhampton and Worcester. There are
also a number of large towns included, such as: Burton-upon-Trent,
Dudley, Kidderminster, Leamington Spa, Nuneaton, Rugby, Shrewsbury,
Stafford, Stourbridge, Tamworth, Uttoxeter, etc. With lines
formerly operated by the London Midland & Scottish Railway and
Great Western Railway, many locomotives of these companies are
present, alongside the Standard Classes of British Railways. With a
rich industrial heritage in the region, a number of privately owned
locomotives appear at work on several sites, such as breweries and
collieries. The West Midlands was a bustling and vibrant place for
steam enthusiasts to observe and record locomotives at work. In
doing so, a lost era has been captured and this collection has been
assembled to celebrate those bygone days.
Andrew Grant Forsyth's photographs show the changing locomotive
scene throughout Scotland after the nationalisation of the railways
in 1948. Forsyth visited Scotland almost every year, and between
1948 and 1966 he was fortunate to be able to photograph the
graceful-looking ex-Great North of Scotland 4-4-0s, the ex-North
British Railway 'Glen' and 'Scott' 4-4-0s, the Caledonian 4-4-0s
and numerous 0-6-0 and tank locomotive classes remaining from both
those companies. Also reproduced are many examples of the London
and North Eastern Railway express locomotive fleet, together with
locomotives of former London Midland and Scottish Railway and
examples of the post-nationalisation Standard locomotives of
British Railways. Scottish Steam 1948-1966 is a stunning collection
of Andrew Grant Forsyth's photographs, providing a unique insight
into a shifting time.
The author came to London from Lancashire as a nine-year old having
developed an interest in his local buses and Blackpool trams at a
very early age. He remained in south-west London living in the
Wandsworth and Wimbledon areas for the next 45 years. As a young
teenager he took up locospotting joining a small group of fellow
enthusiasts who met regularly by the lineside just west of Clapham
Junction and for roughly ten years avidly followed his hobby. For
the first half of that decade, his hobby was centred largely close
to London because of age and money restrictions except for rare
trips often family visits - further afield. In this second book, he
describes his experiences from about 1960: visiting stations;
lineside observations; and more official trips to depots and works,
often with the RCTS. He gives us a spotters-eye view of the changes
to British Railways at the time: the final steam locomotives
arriving; the increasing impact of the Modernisation Plan; seeing
elderly locomotives at work or at the end of their service life on
scrap lines. After 1958, when he acquired his first camera it was
used regularly to build up a library of photographs as finances
allowed. Some of these, taken at a later date, have been used to
illustrate his travels and exploits in the earlier years of his
hobby and later, colour views are used to cover the preservation
era.
Explore Britain's remaining historic lines with railway expert
Julian Holland. The essential guide to exploring Britain's last
remaining historic lines, Britain's Heritage Railways is ideal for
anyone planning or looking for a nostalgic railway trip. From
bestselling railway author Julian Holland. More than 100 locations,
the majority steam operated, featured all over Britain. Highly
illustrated with maps and old and new photographs. Historic lines
include; * Bodmin & Wenford Railway - two rural branch lines
with a rich industrial history tucked away in Cornwall * West
Somerset Railway - the longest heritage railway in England with
views of the Quantock Hills and the sea * Bluebell Railway - a
Victorian steam railway deep in rural Mid Sussex * North Norfolk
Railway - a delightful journey through heathland with views of the
sea * Dean Forest Railway - with a rich industrial history this
heritage railway takes passengers into the ancient Forest of Dean *
Ffestiniog Railway - a steam operated Victorian narrow gauge slate
railway clinging to steep hillsides * Wensleydale Railway - a long
heritage railway in the unspoilt Yorkshire Dales * Speyside Railway
- a Highland line with views of the Cairngorm Mountains
Thomas Hackworth (1797-1877) has been overlooked by history. He had
both the fortune and misfortune to be the brother of a renowned
railway engineer. His fortune lay in that he was party to some of
the most famous early railway experiments. He was there at the
birth of Puffing Billy and Wylam Dilly and built some of the first
locomotives used on the Stockton and Darlington Railway. He was
still building steam locomotives long after railways had become the
dominant form of transport in the world. He was a major contributor
to the growth of the north-east towns of both Shildon and
Stockton-on-Tees, which would not be what they are without his
acumen and engineering expertise. In respect of Stockton, he was
also responsible for establishing one of the world's leading marine
engineering companies. His misfortune was that his life was
eclipsed by the fame and genius of an older brother. It was brother
Timothy who once referred to Thomas Hackworth as 'Poor Tom' when
Tom was made the scapegoat for a series of problems at Shildon. As
a consequence Tom lost both job and home, was subsequently
exploited by his business partner, and saw his young family was
devastated by cholera.Despite this, he built a hundred steam
locomotives, operated some of the earliest railways and produced
engines that powered the first steam ships It is time for Tom
Hackworth's story to be told.
There are more than 400 miniature railways in Britain. Some are
hidden away and privately owned, others are parkland attractions,
and some - such as the Romney, Hythe and Dymchurch - are large
commercial enterprises. They come in an array of gauges (from 5
inches up to 15 inches and sometimes beyond), but their most
definitive characteristic is that they can carry passengers,
whether sitting astride the rolling stock or inside enclosed
carriages. In this colourfully illustrated guide, David Henshaw
offers a concise history of miniature railways from the nineteenth
century to the modern day, including a whistle-stop tour of the
most notable examples open to the public - including the Ravenglass
& Eskdale and Eastleigh Lakeside railways - exploring their
layouts, engineering and rolling stock.
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