This book covers the life and work of George and Robert Stephenson. George Stephenson as we know, had the title of 'Father of Railways'. Its an excellent book for those wanting to find out about the early beginnings and years of the Railway in the the UK. It is illustrated with portraits, drawings and maps.
The content of the book covers: The Years of Endeavor (1781 - 1830) 1. Early Days at Killingworth 2. The Safety-Lamp Controversy 3. The Birth of the Locomotive 4. The Stockton & Darlington Railway 5. A Rift in the Partnership 6. The Mines of Santa Ana 7. The First Railwaymen 8. The Battle for the Locomotive 9. The Completion of the Liverpool & Manchester Railway The Years of Fame (1830 - 1859) 10. Rails to the South 11. Building the London & Birmingham Railway 12. Fame without Fortune 13. The Stanhope & Tyne Fiasco 14. George Stephenson - The Closing Years 15. The Great Tubular Bridges 16. The End of an Era Although this book was published in 2012, it still remains a favorite amongst well known author L. T. C. Rolt's other books. The author will also be known for his books on Red for Danger and Railway Adventures. The book is retailed on Amazon.
Personal Reflection
I have found this book very interesting. It gives a lot of detail with regards to the lives of George and Robert Stephenson. In the 'Years of Fame' section great detail is given of how the London & Birmingham Railway was built, and the discussions between Joseph Locke and the Stephensons.
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High Weald Transport Publishing 2005 ISBN 0-9550918-0-2
128 pages, hardback, A4 format 244 b/w illustrations This book, consisting entirely of pictures from the author’s collection, is a commemoration of the final 25 years of these services. Some of the workings covered, such as Waterloo-Exeter and Victoria-Gatwick, will be familiar to many. However, some rarely-photographed trains are depicted as well, such as the short-lived Newhaven-Manchester train, withdrawn in 1987 after only a year, and the cross-country services to Portsmouth via Guildford. A few memories will also be stirred by pictures of long-forgotten trains such as the “Crompton”- hauled 17.20 London Bridge-Uckfield and the overnight newspaper trains, complete with solitary Mk I coach. Overall, in fact, the author has deliberately chosen not to concentrate excessively on the better-known workings, for these (especially the West of England Line) have been adequately covered elsewhere. Although the book primarily covers scheduled loco-hauled trains, a few specials are also illustrated, including the late-lamented “Merrymakers” and SAGA trains, along with a few pictures of the VSOE Pullmans and some enthusiasts’ specials. Although Black & White may seem a bit “Retro” these days, it is quite surprising how good even quite contemporary liveries, such as Virgin Red and Wessex Pink can look in monochrome. The book will certainly bring back a lot of fond memories for many Modern Traction fans in the South of England.
This informative book covers the history of Britain's railways from 1600 to 2014. It gives a very detailed historic coverage, telling the story of how British railways began, their decline and revival. In its contents: 1st section covers from 1604 to 1825- In the Beginning 2nd section covers from 1826 to 1842- The First Intercity and Trunk Railways 3rd section covers from 1843 to 1850- Expansion and 'Railway Mania' 4th section covers from 1851 to 1900- The Great Victorian Age 5th section covers from 1901 to 1922- The Early Twentieth Century 6th section covers from 1923 to 1947- The 'Big Four', Streamlines and War 7th section covers from 1948 to 1962- Nationalisation, Rationalisation and Modernisation 8th section covers from 1963 to 1993- Dr Beeching, Contraction and The End of Steam 9th section covers from 1994 to 2014/15- Privatisation and High Speed Although the book was published a few years ago, it is still considered to be the rail enthusiasts guide to the history of Britain's railways. The book is amply illustrated throughout with black & white/colour photos on nearly every page. Personal Reflection: I myself have enjoyed reading this book and I still use it today to refer back to the history of our railways. The book was written by the best selling railway author, Julian Holland, who is a railway expert with many titles to his name. It is retailed on Amazon.
This book covers different aspects of rail travel, like high speed passenger services, freight, industrial, underground and armoured World War 2 trains, with colour or black & white photos on each page.
In its contents it covers: 1. The Evolution of the Locomotives. 2. From Early Oddities to High Tech Wonders. 3. Great Builders. 4. Great Railway Journeys. 5. Shaped for Speed. 6. Built for Heavy Haulage. 7. Diesel and Electric Traction. 8. Railways in the Industrial Revolution. 9. The Railway's Role in Wartime. 10. Railway Disasters. 11. Why Steam Disappeared. 12. Railway Preservation. 13. The Revolution in Light Rail. 14. The Railway's Role in the Modern World.
This book gives a detailed comprehensive overview of the world's history of railways including the UK. Although it was published in 2008 (first edition, 1998) it still remains to be a must for rail enthusiasts all over the world.
Personal Reflection: I have found this book to be interesting particularly (for me) the chapters on Great Builders, Great Railway Journeys, The Railway's Role in Wartime, The Revolution in Light Rail and the Railway's Role in the Modern World. I would certainly recommend this book to rail enthusiasts, who enjoy history. It is currently being retailed on Amazon. |
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