Railway Memories No.33 reveals a whole treasure chest of inspirational railway scenes throughout North West England that are no longer there to be appreciated in real life. Steam era scenes predominate but there are also vintage electric trains for which the North West has a notable place in history. The 260 black and white photos range from steam trains on the long lost branch lines of the Lancashire coalfield and the great termini of Manchester and Liverpool to steam-hauled London-Glasgow expresses fighting their way up to Shap summit in the Cumbrian fells. A few classic diesels are included but no picture is later than the British Rail era.

The steam locomotive was a British invention and even today, the world speed record for steam remains with a British locomotive, Mallard. Steam's first significant contribution to British industry was through powering pumping engines for mines. When steam was applied to the railways, the 'railway age' began. The steam locomotive went through several distinct phases during its long life, which came to an end on regular service in the late 1960s. The early phase was followed by the trend for large single driving wheels, then compound locomotives with connected driving wheels once steel became strong enough for the connecting rods. Further developments included tank engines that could run equally well forwards and backwards; the 4-6-0 and 4-6-2 expresses; the passion for speed records and streamlining; and the standardisation years of British Railways. This insightful, fully illustrated story book follows the history of the steam locomotive and will delight all those interested in the steam age.

Over 140 photos accompanied by extended captions written by Robin Atthill illustrate the beauty and variety of scenery that attracted visitors and photographers from far and wide toi this legendary, much-loved line. Atthill researched the history of the S&D in depth and described the 'sturdy individuality' of a line that had to deal with the challenges of difficult operating conditions and fluctuating seasonal holiday traffic.

In the usual Railway Memories style, this bumper book is the biggest yet in the series. I takes us back to a time when Yorkshire's pre-1974 East Riding was served by a comprehensive railway network. Starts with text describing the railways' growth, their place in the varied landscape, their passenger and freight services including coverage of the countless steam-hauled summer Saturday expresses going to Butlins' holiday camp at Filey, and the railways' decline, largely at the hand of Doctor Beeching, to a point where only those around the perimeter survive. Along with the 286 photographs including those on the colour cover, is a wealth of operating data, track plans, memories and anecdotes. This book does not include Hull which although in East Yorkshire is not in the East Riding - see our other book Kingston upon Hull. Images of a Rich Transport Heritage. 9781871233308.

After the Second World War, the drive for the modernisation of Britain's railways ushered in a new breed of locomotive: the Diesel. Diesel-powered trains had been around for some time, but faced with a coal crisis and the Clean Air Act in the 1950s, it was seen as a part of the solution for British Rail. This beautifully illustrated book, written by an expert on rail history, charts the rise and decline of Britain's diesel-powered locomotives. It covers a period of great change and experimentation, where the iconic steam engines that had dominated for a century were replaced by a series of modern diesels including the ill-fated 'Westerns' and the more successful 'Deltics'.