All too often, when observing our railways, focus falls entirely on the locomotives or multiple units that haul the many services that travel on them. Britain's railway wagons are equally deserving of attention, with many fascinating details of their own. Over the past three decades, there has been much change on the railways, and the wagons reflect this too. Covering an often neglected subject, John Dedman uses his fascinating collection of images to explore British railway wagons during this period. Featuring informative captions, and detailed images, this book will be interesting for both railway enthusiasts and modellers alike.

Following the demise of steam, there was for a while the impression that the contemporary railway scene would be of little interest to the enthusiast. Faceless boxes on wheels pursuing their efficient course through the landscape with little in the way of variety. With hindsight, this was far from the case and as time has moved on, more and more enthusiasts are looking back at the railway scene in the decades after the end of steam with a great deal of nostalgia. Fortunately there were people around who continued to record what was an ever changing spectacle in those years. One of these was John Dedman. His photographic efforts were focused on the area around Southampton and the New Forest which he knew well. His good local knowledge and connections allowed him to record both the unusual as well as the regular workings.

John Dedman first started to take photos of coaches in the late 1970s, mainly as references for modelling purposes. In British Coaching Stock, he delves into his superb archive of unpublished images and shares a wide variety of Mark 1, Mark 2 and Mark 3 stock. Beginning with BR Mark 1 stock, John Dedman features the regular day-to-day vehicles alongside photos of various types of restaurant, kitchen and buffet cars. Mark 1 sleeping cars are also included; so too are the XP64 prototypes that were still in service in the period covered. Also featured are Mark 2 and Mark 3 coaches, as well as the Caledonian Sleeper with its distinctive liveried Mark 3 sleeping cars and day coaches. Pullman coaches from the traditional older vehicles to the Mark 2s, as used on the Manchester Pullman service, also appear here, as do Royal Mail Travelling Post Office sorting and stowage vans and parcels vehicles - some of which are from the pre-1948 era railway companies. In addition to this, John Dedman includes photographs of older coaches still running on the main line today, usually in private charter and excursion trains.