The North London Line from Richmond to Broad Street, and later, to Stratford was the capital's Cinderella railway for many years. An official report in 2006 called it 'shabby, unsafe, unreliable and overcrowded.' It was threatened with closure under the Beeching Axe in the 1960s and again in the 1970s, escaping on both occasions due to organised and effective protest groups. Today it thrives as a key part of Transport for London's Overground network, and the story of how it survived closure threats and lack of investment is essential to an understanding of the politics of public transport in London over the past half century

For the latest No 30 edition of the Southern Way, the editor has something very special in store for EMU enthusiasts - the fact that this issue is due for release in April 2015 may be something of a clue...but fans will just have to watch this space. Otherwise, the latest issue includes the usual multifarious mixture of steam, infrastructure, reminiscences and what can only be described as the downright unusual. Just when you thought there was nothing new to say about the Southern Railway, a whole new selection of fascinating facts and photographs is released to delight all fans of the Southern Way series.

The Class 50 locomotives were built by English Electric between 1967 and 1968, and 2017 marks the 50th anniversary of the locomotive's debut. Fifty examples were built, and were initially used to haul express passenger trains on the West Coast Main Line between Crewe and Scotland. Class 50s were nicknamed 'Hoovers' by rail enthusiasts because of the distinctive sound made by the air-filters originally fitted. The Class 50s were later moved to services in the south west of England, primarily on the mainline from London to Exeter, and were eventually retired from service in 1994. In the late-1970s BR was persuaded to name the class 50s after Royal Navy Vessels with notable records in the First and Second World Wars, and in January 1978 50035 was named Ark Royal by the captain and crew of then current aircraft carrier HMS Ark Royal. The rest of the fleet was named during the course of the next few years. The Class 50 has always been popular with railway enthusiasts, and 17 of the original 50-strong fleet are currently preserved. This Manual provides a fascinating insight into the design, manufacture, operation and restoration of the Class 50.

This book explores the phenomenal resources dedicated to understanding and encouraging passengers to consume travel from 1900 to 1939, analysing how place and travel were presented for sale. Using the Great Western Railway as a chief case study, as well as a range of its competitors both on and off the rails, Alexander Medcalf unravels the complex and ever-changing processes behind corporate sales communications. This volume analyses exactly how the company pictured passengers in the countryside, at the seaside, in the urban landscape and in the company's vehicles. This thematic approach brings transport and business history thoroughly in line with tourism and leisure history as well as studies in visual culture.

In the early 1800s, Ayrshire was already established as a prosperous, mainly rural agricultural county. The realization that there was abundant coal and (to a lesser extent) iron ore deposits to be exploited, together with the coming of the Industrial Revolution, rendered the area wide open to the 'railway mania' that swept Britain in the mid to late 1800s. The proximity of the county north to Glasgow and south to Carlisle (and thence south) made it an attractive proposition for early railway developers. Gordon Thomson explores the history and development of the railway routes in Ayrshire; how the coming of the railways changed the face of the area and supported the growth of industry. It looks at how services evolved through the eras of LMS, nationalization and privatization, and the preservation and heritage scene in Ayrshire.

A facsimile edition of Bradshaw's Handbook of 1863, the book that inspired the BBC television series 'Great British Railway Journeys'. When Michael Portillo began the series 'Great British Railway Journeys', a well-thumbed 150-year-old book shot back to fame. The original Bradshaw's guides had been well known to Victorian travellers and were produced when the British railway network was at its peak and as tourism by rail became essential. It was the first national tourist guide specifically organized around railway journeys, and this beautifully illustrated facsimile edition offers a glimpse through the carriage window at a Britain long past.

This title deals with the fascination and excitement of world railway history, from Stephenson's Rocket to the modern age. With splendid illustrations and a sparkling narrative, it charters the fundamental stages and main events of railway history, from the birth of steam locomotion to modern high-speed trains. Divided into six sections, each chapter documents a significant period in the development of the railways and tells the stories of the key men, inventions, challenge and technological breakthroughs. 250 colour photographs

For 65 years Bowater's paper mills in Kent were served by an extensive 2ft 6in gauge railway system. This connected the original mill at Sittingbourne with the large mill at Kemsley and a private dock at Ridham. Thousands of tons of coal, china clay, recycled paper, wood pulp, logs and finished paper were hauled by a total of sixteen narrow gauge and three standard gauge locos, in a twenty four hour operation to keep the mills running. However, with the dawn of modernisation in 1969 a portion of the route and stock soon became the Sittingbourne and Kemsley Light Railway. Within this bright new volume renowned enthusiast and model maker, Dave Hammersley presents a nostalgic glimpse of the railway in Bowater's days, when the line was well-maintained and working round the clock. Steam locomotives appear around every corner, surrounded by dramatic industrial landscapes. Each of the engines is pictured alongside a concise description, finally concluding with a brief look at the first year of preservation. An entertaining read and a snapshot of an important moment in railway history, this book is a must have for railway enthusiasts nationwide!