Robert Ellis James-Robertson (always known as Ellis) was born in Wales but lived at Worcester from the mid-1950s and travelled extensively around the country building up a large railway collection. In the 1960s a few of Ellis's photographs were published in books and magazines and the credit 'R. E. James-Robertson' may be familiar to some. This book of mainly unpublished colour and black & white photographs has been created entirely from Ellis's North Wales archives, it will appeal to railway enthusiasts, modellers, and those interested in local history. The time period covered is from the mid-1950s through to the mid-1960s with steam being the predominant motive power. Much of North Wales is covered and in addition to BR standard-gauge lines, the narrow-gauge Penrhyn and Padarn slate systems are also seen. Ellis and his wife Norah celebrated their diamond wedding anniversary in 2013, and Ellis passed on in April 2015 aged 92. Their daughters, Louisa and Fiona, contacted film-maker and author Michael Clemens whose late father was a friend of Ellis's. Ellis's collection lives on today at films shows around the country given by the author and now in this second of a number of books using his photographic archive.

A special board book edition of the original, classic story introducing Thomas the Tank Engine!

This is a beautifully-illustrated story about Thomas the little blue Tank Engine, who worked really hard on The Fat Controller's railway. Every day he puffed around Sodor shunting trucks and pulling freight. But what he dreamed about was having his very own branch line …

Thomas has been teaching children lessons about life and friendship for 75 years. He ranks alongside other beloved characters such as Paddington Bear, Winnie-the-Pooh and Peter Rabbit as an essential part of our literary heritage.

This title details the cover-up of one of the worst labour tragedies in American history. The authors conducted an archaeological dig of the site and include their observations. It includes many illustrations. It will appeal to readers interested in Irish and Irish-American history, labour history, and the history of technology and medicine. In 1832, fifty-seven Irish Catholic workers were brought to the United States to lay one of the most difficult miles of American railway, Duffy's Cut of the Pennsylvania Railroad. In the eyes of the company, these men were expendable. Deaths were common during the building of the railway but this stretch was worse than most. When cholera swept the camp, basic medical attention and community support was denied to them. In the end, all fifty-seven men died and were buried in a mass unmarked grave. Their families in Ireland were never told what happened to them. The company did its best to cover up the incident, which was one of the worst labour tragedies in U.S. history. This book tells the story of these men, the sacrifices they made, and the mistreatment that claimed their lives. learn how Irish labour built the railroads, and about the impact of the Great Cholera Epidemic on American life. The authors argue that the annihilation of the work crew came about because of the extreme conditions of their employment, the prejudice of the surrounding community, and vigilante violence that kept them isolated. The authors' archaeological digs at the site and meticulous historical research shed light on this tragic chapter in American labour history.

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.

The name 'Great Western Railway' immediately conjures up images of Stars, Castles and Kings, the legendary express passenger locomotives that were the envy of the world in their day. However, the Swindon empire also produced extensive fleets of all-purpose tank engines - everyday reliable workhorses and unsung heroes - which were also standout classics in their own right. The most distinctive and immediately recognizable type in terms of shape, all but unique to the GWR, was the six-coupled pannier tank. With hundreds of photographs throughout, Great Western Railway Pannier Tanks covers: the supremely innovative pannier tank designs of GWR chief mechanical engineer Charles Benjamin Collett and the appearance of the 5700 class in 1929 and the 5400, 6400, 7400 and 9400 classes. The demise of the panniers in British Railways service and the 5700s that marked the end of Western Region steam are discussed along with a second life beneath the streets - 5700 class panniers on London Underground. Finally, there is a section on panniers in preservation, plus cinema and TV roles and even a Royal Train duty.

In series with the main 'Southern Way' volumes, this 96 page book looks at things that went wrong on the railway - sometimes unavoidable, sometimes misfortune and sometimes just sheer bad luck. Nothing too macabre either, instead derailments, clear ups, and incident-causing delays, plus of course Bulleid's that got a bit hot under the casing! This primarily pictorial volume covers the period of both Southern Region and Southern Railway days plus a few earlier occurrences. The photographer sometimes unwittingly affording a glimpse of a background scene rarely seen elsewhere.

From their origins, railways produced an intense competition between the two major continental systems in France and Germany. Fitting a new technology into existing political institutions and social habits, these two nations became inexorably involved in industrial and commercial rivalry that eventually escalated into the armed conflict of 1914. Based on many years of research in French and German archives, this study examines the adaptation of railroads and steam engines from Britain to the continent of Europe after the Napoleonic age. A fascinating example of how the same technology, borrowed at the same time from the same source, was assimilated differently by the two continental powers, this book offers a groundbreaking analysis of the crossroads of technology and politics during the first Industrial Revolution.