Peter Tuffrey – författare

Nigel Gresley built his Pacific class of locomotives to deal with increasing demands from passenger traffic. Some Pacifics started as Class A1s but were eventually rebuilt to Class A3 specifications. Others were built as A3s from the outset. Suffice to say the A3s underwent a number of significant alterations during their lifetime extending from 1922 to the mid 1960s.Gresley's A3s documents many members of the class in well-researched captions. These are set against photographs which appear in a chronological sequence. We learn how many different tenders were coupled to a locomotive; how they were converted from right hand to left hand drive; the many colour schemes employed; and latterly how trough deflectors were fittedto a number of engines.A finale to book is a section on the Flying Scotsman - a world-renowned engine that started as an A1 but was subsequently converted to A3. The engine has recently undergone a major overhaul and brought crowds out in their thousands when it appeared on an inaugural run. This is surely testament to the longevity of Gresley's greatlocomotives.- Many of these great locomotives were built and maintained in Yorkshire at Doncaster Works- A large number of colour photographs not hitherto seen previously- Evocative black and white pictures- The locomotives are seen all along the East Coast Main line, travelling on Scottish routes and the old Great Central line hauling many named trains. They are also depicted on shed and in works.- A lavish and aptly sized book that does justice to these much revered and sadly missed locomotives

The majority of South Yorkshire's twenty-first century residents are oblivious to the unique and fascinating Sand House that graced Doncaster from the mid-1850s until the Second World War. It was created by excavating the ground from around a massive block of sandstone and then hollowing out rooms within, in order to create a 40-metre-long, 12-metre-wide residence equipped with all the mod cons that a wealthy Victorian businessman would want. And yet there is nothing to be seen now of this incredible Sand House. The two authors show how the idea for the Sand House arose from its creators' combined business interests of property development and sand extraction. From its modest beginnings as a two-up-two-down dwelling, it grew to become a ten-roomed mansion, complete with stable and ballroom. Not only dances but other major social events took place in the house and its 'sunken garden'; guests were allowed to explore the property's extensive tunnels and admire the abundance of carvings hewn from the sandstone within. The Sand House's sad demise in the mid-twentieth century means that this marvellous creation is no longer available for visitors to admire, but its story lives on through the pages of this book.

Born in Doncaster in the 1950s, Peter Tuffrey grew up with the collieries around him: Yorkshire Main at Edlington, Denaby, Cadeby, Rossington and Askern. Although it might have seemed that things would never change, they did, and Peter has now compiled Doncaster's Collieries to commemorate this once-vital part of the town's heritage. Using photographs from his own collection and the archives of local newspapers, Peter examines the histories of thirteen of the pits that once surrounded his home town, from the elaborate ceremonies which were staged to mark the start of work through to the acrimonious disputes with British Coal and the government of Margaret Thatcher, which so often marked the closure of the Doncaster collieries. The result is a fascinating view of a now-lost but widely remembered industry sure to appeal to those with an interest in the area.

Yorkshire People & Coal is the third title in Peter Tuffrey's Yorkshire People series, featuring photographs from the Yorkshire Post's picture archives. This volume makes use of the wealth of pictures and information held in the Yorkshire Post's archives on the county's long association with coal. Peter believes there has never been a period in coal mining's long history as eventful as the previous forty to fifty years and many of the pictures contained here are from that time. Images have been carefully selected to show how coal has had a wide-ranging effect on Yorkshire life. Most aspects of colliery life are depicted and not surprisingly several themes dominate throughout: disasters, strikes and pit closures. It might be that coal is becoming a fading memory to those who lived through the trials and tribulations of the past fifty or more years and present generations might find it hard to imagine a time when it was relied upon to provide heating, energy and a means of travel. However it cannot be denied that coal has left an indelible mark on Yorkshire's long industrial history and its final glory years are aptly portrayed in Yorkshire People & Coal.

In this second and final volume, the whole of the East Coast Main Line between King’s Cross and Edinburgh Waverley stations is examined closely, with a particular emphasis on the ways and structures: the line, stations, connections, yards, and other physical features. Interposed are accounts of the traffic at the principal stations (including connecting and branch line services) with observations on changes over the period 1939 to 1959. Some emphasis is placed on freight traffic on account of its importance and, perhaps, its relative unfamiliarity to the reader. The lines, stations, and many other elements are described as they were in August 1939, but as some plans on which they are based are dated before the late 1930s, there may be marginal differences from the precise layout in 1939.

The Last Years of North West Steam contains over 250 stunning colour and black and white pictures that document the steam era drawing to a close in North West England. The area is taken as Crewe to Chester in the south and Carlisle in the north, visiting places in between such as Manchester, Liverpool, Stockport, Warrington, Wigan, Southport, Bolton, Bury, Preston, Blackburn, Burnley, Blackpool, Fleetwood, Lancaster and Carnforth.Beautiful scenes have been captured across the area by a number of highly-skilled amateur photographers. The images feature locomotives at stations, sheds, industrial sites and charming countryside locations. A good portion of the book features rare colour pictures and these are complemented by high-quality black and white photographs.This collection features many of the locomotive classes employed in the area, such as Stanier's Pacifics, Class Five and `Jubilee' 4-6-0s and 8F Class 2-8-0s, Hughes 2-6-0s, Fowler `Royal Scot' and `Patriot' 4-6-0s and 4F 0-6-0s. BR Standard Classes supplement these, whilst ex-London & North Western Railway 0-8-0s are also included, as are engines built for the Lancashire & Yorkshire Railway and the Great Central Railway. `Foreign' locomotives from the London & North Eastern Railway and Great Western Railway further illustrate the diversity of the motive power scene.The images are accompanied by informative captions, describing the locomotives, the scene and other interesting details.

Southern Region Steam 1948-1967 contains over 250 stunning colour and black and white photographs of steam locomotives working across much of the South of England.Many areas of interest are featured, including: Eastleigh; Dover; Southampton; Brighton; Guildford; Exeter; Plymouth; Guildford; Reading; Salisbury; Winchester; Yeovil.A section is provided for all the important SR locations in London, such as Waterloo station, Stewarts Lane shed, Bricklayers Arms shed, Clapham Junction, Victoria station, etc. There is also a selection of images taken on the Isle of Wight which came under the jurisdiction of the SR.A large number of the area's most recognisable classes are presented: Bulleid's 'Merchant Navy' and 'Battle of Britain'/'West Country' Pacifics; Maunsell 'King Arthur' and 'Schools', amongst others; Urie 4-6-0s; Drummond M7; Wainwright C Class. The old Adams 415 Class engines have been captured on their native soil, whilst equally ancient Stroudley E1s have been encountered. Also making appearances are BR Standard Class engines, ranging from the 'Britannias' to the 4-6-0s, 2-6-0s and 2-6-4Ts.The locomotives have been captured in many evocative scenes of the era, comprising those at stations, both main line and smaller local facilities, engine sheds and from the lineside.The photographs are accompanied by well-researched and informative captions.The preservation movement was born in the Southern Region and hopefully this collection of images helps remind everyone that the steam locomotives left are worthy of continued interest as representatives of a bygone age.

Yorkshire Steam mainly takes a look at the 1948-1967 period when steam traction came to an end on the mainline railways.Over 250 superb colour and black and white images evoke a bygone era across the county. A number of the major cities and towns are documented, such as Leeds, Sheffield, York, Hull, Doncaster, Harrogate, Goole, etc, as well as smallerplaces like Arthington, Dunford Bridge, Staithes, etc.A wide variety of locomotives are seen at these places, including many of the major Stanier Classes - 'Jubilee', Class 5, 8F - and Gresley designs - A3, D49, V2 - alongside others: Thompson B1, Peppercorn A1/K1, Robinson O4, RavenB16, WD 'Austerity' and Ivatt 4MT.A small band of enthusiasts also ventured to collieries and captured the variety of tank locomotives moving coal, which was the most recognisable product from Yorkshire at the time.The photographs are accompanied by informative captions.

Featuring legendary and inspirational guitarists and the equipment they used. This fully illustrated, beautifully produced hardback explores the history of the pioneering British guitarists – their background, career and equipment. Includes many exclusive interviews.From the mid-20th century, no other musical instrument developed faster or had a greater impact than the electric guitar. In Britain, many young lads became enthralled by the look and the sound, leading them to take up the guitar to entertain their peers. Several dozen were able to master the instrument sufficiently to gain national and international recognition, enjoying careers spanning decades which has resulted in a number being awarded Queen's honours.British Guitarists 1952-1972: Electric Pioneers examines a number of musicians that were part of a first wave of new popular music in the second half of the 20th century. A focus is placed on the guitars, amplifiers and effects used by the artists.Starting from their early days, the book looks at the evolution of the guitarist's equipment and how this has impacted on their music.The guitarists featured are: Martin Barre, Syd Barrett, Jeff Beck, Ritchie Blackmore, Marc Bolan, Joe Brown, Eric Clapton, Dave 'Clem' Clempson, Dave Davies, Lonnie Donegan, Andy Fairweather Low, Peter Frampton, Robert Fripp, David Gilmour, Peter Green, George Harrison, Tony Hicks, Steve Howe, Tony Iommi, Brian Jones, Paul Kossoff, Albert Lee, Alvin Lee, John Lennon, Phil Manzanera, Hank Marvin, John McLaughlin, Tony McPhee, Micky Moody, Jimmy Page, Alan Parker, Mike Pender, Andy Powell, Keith Richards, Mick Ronson, Mick Taylor, Pete Townshend, Bert Weedon, Ronnie Wood.

Arthur Henry Peppercorn, OBE (29 January 1889 - 3 March 1951) was the last Chief Mechanical Engineer (CME) of the London and North Eastern Railway. Peppercorn finished several projects which were started by his predecessor Edward Thompson, but most popular were his LNER Peppercorn Class A1 and the LNER Peppercorn Class A2 . These were known as some of the best British steam locomotives ever in service. Upon nationalisation and the foundation of British Railways,he continued in essentially the same job, now titled "Chief Mechanical Engineer, Eastern and North Eastern Regions"; he retired at the end of 1949, two years after nationalisation.Only one of his famous Pacific locomotives, a LNER Peppercorn Class A2, 60532 Blue Peter, was preserved, but none of the LNER Peppercorn Class A1.However, a brand new A1, 60163 Tornado, built as the next in the class, has been constructed. It moved under its own steam for the first time in August 2008.The book will detail Peppercorn's life with as many personal pictures as possible. It will include black and white and colour pictures of 49 of his A1 locomotives and 15 of his A2 locomotives. The pictures will show the locomotives under construction, from the lineside and on shed.

Using well over 200 pin sharp photographs and informative text, the book will feature many aspects of railway development in Yorkshire prior to the Grouping of railways in 1923 as well as the years afterwards, up to 1948, and the establishment of BritishRailways.There is an impressive geographical spread across the region, including the West, East and North Ridings. Included is an outstanding collection of photographs gathered from postcards, original prints, and from glass plate negatives. The captions are well researched and written in a non railway jargon manner, for the enjoyment of a wide audience.The pictures should be of interest well beyond the average railway enthusiast as they form strong social history in portraying such themes as contemporary life, changing fashion in dress (male and female), advertising slogans of the period and excessive numbers of railway staff at many stations. They also show the varied styles of station, bridge and viaduct architecture as well as the way communities have changed.- A lavish reasonably-priced, hardback book, roughly covering the railway period in Yorkshire 1900- 1948- Besides locomotives, stations, bridges, viaducts and other railway subjects are illustrated- Nothing has been gathered together in such a large sized book hitherto- Over 200 pin sharp photographs beautifully printed- A wealth of facts and figures useful to social historians and railway enthusiasts alike- A fantastic glimpse into Yorkshire's railway world in the first half of the 20th century.

British Rail Standard Pacifics features steam locomotives in the Britannia,Duke of Gloucester, and Clan classes.- There are photographs of every Britannia class locomotive, the Duke of Gloucester and all the Clan class engines.- A book of this nature has not been seen hitherto.- There is a considerable number of evocative colour pictures as well as an abundance of pin-sharp black and white images.- The total number of pictures is around 300.- The captions are well researched and informative.- The Britannia class locomotives are seen in various locations up and down the country: in London, the West Country, East Anglia, North West, Yorkshire and many other areas. The Clan Class are mainly seen operating in Scotland but a feware seen south of the Border.- Many engines are depicted undertaking a variety of duties as well as being captured on shed. Several are seen on works and on the scrap line.- The book will be of interest to both rail enthusiasts and social historians alike.

The book concentrates on the London Midland Region in the final years of steam traction covering the period 1948 to 1966. All major London Midland Region towns and cities are represented.- A fascinating collection of hithertounpublished black and white photographs by former Senior British Medical Council researcher, Ben Brooksbank.- Over 275 photographs are included.- The photographs show remarkable clarity even though photographic materials were difficult to obtain during the immediate post-war period.- Many different classes of locomotives are featured, ranging from the old Midland and LNWR engines ready for withdrawal in the late 1940s, the ex- MR Johnson 0-6-0s which would survive a little longer, the Fowler classes quietly going about their business, the Stanier Class 5 and 8Fs covered in grime, but still efficient, while a bit of 'glamour' is provided by (some) neatly turned out named 'Jubilee' 4-6-0s and 'Coronation' Pacifics. The next generation of locomotives - the BR Standards - also appear, with the 'Britannia' Pacifics included along with Class 5 4-6-0s, Class 4 4-6-0s, Class 4 2-6- 0s, Class 3 2-6-2Ts and the heavy freight 9F 2-10-0s.- Photographs have been taken from the line-side, on station platforms, on shed, around a number of Works and along lines which have long since disappeared.- The captions are well researched and include locomotive details as well as historical information about the various routes, stations and other architectural features

Bringing together around 5,000 square miles of land, the West Midlands region boasted a diverse system of railways. These ranged from the main lines connecting the north and south of Britain to small branches, as well as cross-country routes and local lines.The Last Years of West Midlands Steam records this area in the 1948-1967 period - using nearly 250 superb colour and black-and-white images - when the days of steam reached their peak.The book covers the smaller West Midlands county, Herefordshire, Shropshire, Staffordshire, Warwickshire and Worcestershire.Several cities in the area appear: Birmingham, Coventry, Hereford, Lichfield, Stoke-on-Trent,Wolverhampton and Worcester. There are also a number of large towns included, such as: Burton-upon-Trent, Dudley, Kidderminster, Leamington Spa,Nuneaton, Rugby, Shrewsbury, Stafford, Stourbridge, Tamworth, Uttoxeter, etc.With lines formerly operated by the London Midland & Scottish Railway and Great Western Railway, many locomotives of these companies are present, alongside the Standard Classes of British Railways.With a rich industrial heritage in the region, a number of privately owned locomotives appear at work on several sites, such as breweries and collieries.The West Midlands was a bustling and vibrant place for steam enthusiasts to observe and record locomotives at work. In doing so, a lost era has been captured and this collection has been assembled to celebrate those bygone days.

Great photography of locomotives on the East Midlands railways in the final years of steam traction compiled with thoroughly researched, informative captions, beautifully produced in hardback with rare and previously unseen images in colour and black and white.Composed of just over 6,000 square miles of land, the East Midlands enjoyed a diverse system of railways in the days of steam. These routes ranged from the main lines connecting the north and south of Britain to small branches, as well as cross-country and local lines.East Midlands Steam, 1950-1966, presents the twilight years of steam traction in the area with nearly 200 superb colour and black-and-white images.The book covers Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Northamptonshire, Nottinghamshire and Rutland. In addition to the cities that appear – Derby, Leicester, Lincoln, and Nottingham – a number of large towns are included, such as Chesterfield, Grantham, Kettering, Loughborough, Mansfield, Northampton and Wellingborough, etc. With lines formerly operated by the London, Midland & Scottish Railway and London & North Eastern Railway, many locomotives of these companies are present, alongside the Standard Classes of British RailwaysWith a rich industrial heritage in the region, a number of privately owned locomotives appear at work on several sites, such as collieries, quarries and power stations.The East Midlands was a busy and exciting place for steam enthusiasts to observe and record locomotives at work. In doing so, a wonderful era of British history has been captured. This collection has been assembled to celebrate those distant days.

The B1 Class 4-6-0 locomotive was Edward Thompson's most enduring design. Built from 1942-1952, the class totalled 410 examples and was a familiar sight across former London & North Eastern Railway territory.Thompson's B1s presents many of the engines at work in the LNER and BR periods through 230 excellent colour and black and white images.The locomotives are pictured at locations such as: York, Newcastle, Darlington, Doncaster, Colchester, Grantham, King's Cross, Marylebone, Neasden, Nottingham, Edinburgh, Sheffield, Leicester, Hull, Fort William, Aberdeen, etc.The photographs, which have been taken at stations, sheds, lineside and workshops, are accompanied by well-researched and informative captions.Thompson's B1s celebrates the importance of the class in the history of the LNER and steam traction in Britain.

Comprising one-third of the land mass of mainland Britain, Scotland provided a diverse background for railway photographers to record the end of steam. As dieselisation radiated northward from Southern England, the country became a refuge for locomotives and many enthusiasts rushed with their cameras to record the demise of a great period in British history.Scottish Steam 1948-1967 presents this period using nearly 250 superb colour and black-and-white images. The focus is on the various locomotives serving under BR at this time. These ranged from old pre-Grouping locomotives still in service, to the many LNER and LMSR designs introduced to modernise the respective motive power stocks after 1923. After Nationalisation, many of the BR Standard Class varieties saw use in Scotland, whilst heavier freight duties were handled by ex-War Department ‘Austerity’ 2-8-0s that were brought into service under BR from the many war surplus engines.The locomotives have been pictured at locations across Scotland. From the cities of Edinburgh and Glasgow – including their environs – to places on the main lines radiating southward, such as Burnmouth and Beattock. Several sites on the Waverley route are included, in addition to the Ayrshire coast. Northward, Stirling, Alloa, Dundee, Aberdeen, Perth, etc., are featured, as is the West Highland and far north of Scotland – Thurso and Wick. The images have been taken at the lineside, stations, sheds, workshops and industrial locations.The book offers a fascinating record of the end of steam in Scotland.

The heart of the British railway system was London. Traffic was drawn and dispersed to places in Scotland, Wales, Ireland and all over England, not forgetting the intense suburban services for commuters to the capital. As a result, the area was fascinating for the rail enthusiast owing to the various locomotives at work there.The Last Years of London Steam celebrates the years 1948-1967 when steam still ruled in the capital using over 200 high-quality colour and black-and-white images. Many of the 'Big Four' companies' designs are featured: Great Western Railway; London Midland & Scottish Railway; London & North Eastern Railway; Southern Railway. In addition, there are survivors from before Grouping which were still employed, as well as the Standard Classes of British Railways. London Transport also used steam locomotives to the early 1970s and examples are included in this collection.Many locations around London are featured, including the great termini - King's Cross, Euston, Marylebone, Paddington, Liverpool Street, Waterloo and Victoria - whilst looking at local stations, junctions and general points from the lineside. Also, the locomotives have been caught at the major sheds in the capital - Nine Elms, Old Oak Common, Neasden, Willesden, Bricklayers Arms, Stratford, etc.As the capital was such a diverse railway environment, The Last Years of London Steam offers an engrossing record of those lost glorious days.

Once the industrial heartland of Britain, North East England had a bustling network of railways. Whether on the East Coast Main Line, local branches or industrial tracks, there was much of interest for the railway enthusiast.Over 200 colour and black-and-white photographs are presented here at a number of locations across the area, such as: Bishop Auckland, Darlington, Durham, Gateshead, Middlesbrough, Newcastle, Sunderland, and Stockton. The highly-evocative scenes have been captured by several well-known photographers at stations, sheds, workshops and the lineside.Many of the classes associated with the North East are included: Gresley A3, A4, D49, V2; Peppercorn A1 and K1; Thompson B1; Raven Q6 and Q7; Worsdell J27; War Department 'Austerity'; British Railways 9F.Several industrial locomotives are seen at work at places such as Ashington Colliery, Lambton Colliery, Pallion Shipyard, etc.Coupled with interesting and informative captions, North East Steam presents a vibrant, though sadly long-lost era of British history.

Gresley's D49s follows the career of this important class which ran in service between 1927 and 1961.Introduced by the London & North Eastern Railway for intermediate passenger trains, the engines were designed by the world-renowned locomotive designer Sir Nigel Gresley. Some of the class members featured poppet valves with rotary cam valve gear. This offered improvements over conventional piston valves.The D49s were employed in the North East of England and Scotland and the engines are pictured at a number of locations in these areas, such as stations, sheds, from the lineside, as well as workshops.The images span both the LNER period and British Railways ownership and consist of nearly 200 high quality colour and black-and-white photographs. A large number of the 76 class members are included in both eras.One D49 4-4-0 has been preserved and is at present under overhaul. Whilst this occurs, this collection can serve as an interesting reminder of the D49s and a distant era well worth remembering.

Investigative journalist Terry Nelson is divorced, depressed and disillusioned. He has abandoned his career to smoke copious amounts of crack cocaine and engage in meaningless sex in order to reach ‘pleasure’s cutting edge’. Obsessed with the beautiful yet vapid Paula, Terry is soon drawn into a shadowy underworld to fund their growing drug habits. Mikey, a Jamaican gangster, befriends Terry and recruits him as a driver for drug deals. This allows Terry access to large amounts of crack cocaine, as well as information about the local drugs scene.Peterfield – a once prosperous manufacturing hub in the North of England – has descended into extreme urban decay and become a place where the residents turn to sex and drugs to escape their dead-end, mundane existence. Drug dealers supplied by international crime gangs are only too pleased to meet the population’s needs and regenerate the area to further line their pockets. Terry is convinced the gangs are led by a mysterious figure – Bonique.Who is Bonique? This is the question that haunts Terry and threatens to destroy his life.As Terry searches for contacts to Bonique his life becomes increasingly violent and leads him to question the path he haschosen.A vigilante group is increasingly active, targeting suspected drug dealers and criminals plaguing Peterfield. Who are theyand who are they led by?Terry’s relationship with his mother and father is very strained. Why is his father so distant? Does the reason involve anunidentified girl Terry witnessed arguing with his father when he was in his teens? Terry struggles to piece together any strands of information that might yield an answer.A Government Task Force arrives in Peterfield to break the drug gangs’ hold on the city. Terry’s involvement with drugsis taken advantage of by the organisation for information. The cash he’s paid keeps his drug habit financed. Terry’s TaskForce handler, Mark, is reluctant to share information and appears to be hiding something.Can Terry pull together all the pieces and soothe his growing obsessions? Or will he lose control of the forces pulling him in the wrong direction, causing harm to himself and his family?

Sir William A. Stanier’s ‘Jubilee’ 5XP 4-6-0 Class served as the backbone of passenger services for the London Midland & Scottish Railway – as well as the successor London Midland Region of British Railways – for a number of years. Despite initial design flaws, the class went on to be well-liked by enginemen and enthusiasts alike.Stanier’s Jubilees follows the career of this 191-locomotive class from their introduction in 1934 to withdrawal in 1967. A number are featured during the LMSR period, whilst many are seen during the British Railways years. The engines are featured in over 200 excellent colour and black-and-white images.A wide area was worked by the Jubilee Class, ranging from the West Coast Main Line to the Midland Main Line, Glasgow-Perth-Aberdeen route and cross-country from York to Liverpool, in addition to Leeds-Bristol.The images included have been taken at stations, sheds, lineside and workshops. Accompanying the pictures are informative captions detailing the locomotive’s history, as well as other interesting details.Four locomotives were preserved following withdrawal at the end of steam and three are in steam at present. Hopefully, they will continue to be so and honour their fallen class mates, many of which are remembered here in this collection.

In South West England a rich railway history was developed through the construction of various routes, the steam locomotives used and services offered.Last Years of South West Steam looks at the region in the 1950s and 1960s as steam traction came to an end. This is done using 230 evocative colour and black-and-white images.Covering over 9,000 square miles, South West England includes the counties: Cornwall; Devon; Dorset; Gloucestershire; Somerset; Wiltshire. A selection of the towns and cities present are: Bath; Bristol; Bournemouth; Cheltenham; Cirencester; Dawlish; Exeter; Exmouth; Gloucester; Liskeard; Newton Abbot; Penzance; Plymouth; Salisbury; Sidmouth; Swindon; Tavistock; Truro; Wadebridge; Weymouth; Yeovil.A number of important routes pass through the area, including the Great Western Main Line from Paddington to Penzance and the South Western Main Line between Waterloo and Weymouth. Several local lines and branches also connected places in the South West.Many of the locomotive classes that worked in the region are present. These were mainly ex-Great Western Railway designs, such as Collett’s ‘Castle’, ‘Hall’, ‘Grange’ and ‘Manor’ Class 4-6-0s or the numerous 5700 and 8750 Class 0-6-0PTs, 5101 and 6100 2-6-2Ts, whilst Churchward’s 2800 Class 2-8-0s and 4300 2-6-0s were still employed. Some ex-Southern Railway classes feature, such as the ‘West Country’ Pacifics, Maunsell’s ‘N’ Class 2-6-0, Drummond T9 Class 4-4-0, Adams 415 Class 4-4-2T, Drummond M7 Class 0-4-4T, etc. BR’s Standard Classes also assisted in the region at the end of steam.The locomotives are pictured at stations, junctions, points from the lineside and sheds, both large and small.Last Years of South West Steam chronicles the railways of the area in the final years of an increasingly distant time in English history.

One hundred years have passed from the formation of the largest British railway company – the London Midland & Scottish Railway. This was also the biggest transport concern in the world at the time. The LMSR was able to serve passengers and customers to a high standard up to the Second World War. During the conflict the LMSR made a valuable contribution to the war effort in terms of motive power provision, movement of goods and war materials.The Glorious Years of the LMS examines the company over the period 1923-1947 using over 250 high-quality black-and-white images. These are split into several sections: locomotives; carriages; war work; road vehicles; stations.The LMSR’s territory spread across much of England, Scotland and into Wales and the photographs have been taken at a number of locations. These include stations, lineside, sheds and workshops.Several companies constituted the LMSR, including the London & North Western Railway, Midland Railway, Caledonian Railway, Glasgow & South Western Railway, etc. Locomotives from these are included in the collection, alongside those of Sir Henry Fowler – Royal Scot 4-6-0, 4P 4-4-0, etc. – and Sir William Stanier. The latter’s designs are most associated with the LMSR and include Jubilee 4-6-0, Class 5 4-6-0, 8F 2-8-0, Princess Royal and Coronation Class Pacifics.The LMSR was an early pioneer of steel-panelled coaching stock and also experimented with different types of carriages – cocktail bar, club car, lounge. Luxurious sets were built for the Royal Scot and Coronation Scot named trains, whilst the company provided new Royal Train saloons in the early 1940s.At the time of Grouping, road transport was increasing and the LMSR was keen to keep the competition at bay. A fleet of nearly 30,000 vehicles was developed, ranging from horse-drawn drays to vans, lorries and specialised trucks, particularly for containerised traffic. The LMSR also branched into bus services.The LMSR existed for just 25 years and during that time the company, the officers and employees were able to create a lasting legacy of hard work, achievement and innovation.

The railways of Wales had a varied character, ranging from the heavy industry of the South to the rural Mid- and North. The country was badly affected by the Beeching Report of the early 1960s which saw many lines and stations closed.The Last Years of Welsh Steam presents the British Railways period using over 200 evocative colour and black and white images. These have been captured from the lineside, at stations, sheds, and industrial locations.Some of the places featured include: Aberystwyth; Afon Wen; Bala; Bangor; Barmouth; Barry; Bedwas; Blaenau Ffestiniog; Brecon; Builth Wells; Cardiff; Carmarthen; Colwyn Bay; Devil's Bridge; Fishguard; Holyhead; Llandudno; Llanidloes; Machynlleth; Magor; Merthyr Tydfil; Mountain Ash; Neath; Newport; Portmadoc; Pwllheli; Rhyl; Severn Tunnel Junction; Swansea; Talyllyn; Towyn; Welshpool; Whitland; Wrexham.Many of Collett's GWR designs are featured, as are those of Hawksworth and Churchward. Some Stanier LMSR locomotives worked in the country, particularly in the North. Several Taff Vale Railway engines remained in service, as did Swansea Harbour Trust shunters and these are present. With extensive colliery sidings, industrial locomotives were required and a small selection are included.

The historic county of Lancashire saw the birth of modern railways when the Liverpool & Manchester Railway opened in 1830. Thereafter, developed a complex network of lines serving passengers, businesses and industries of the area. The ‘Beeching Axe’ cut several railways in the 1960s and Lancashire was where the British steam era came to an end on 11th August 1968.The Last Years of Lancashire Steam charts the area under British Railways from the early 1950s to 1968. Using nearly 200 excellent colour and black-and-white images, the collection features routes around Liverpool and Manchester, which later split from the county as part of the Local Government Act 1972, as well as places such as: Accrington; Aintree; Bacup; Blackburn, Blackpool; Bolton; Burnley; Bury; Carnforth; Fleetwood; Gorton; Horwich; Lancaster; Lostock Hall; Morecambe; Oldham; Patricroft; Preston; Rochdale; Salford; Southport; Warrington; Widnes; Wigan.Captured at stations, sheds, the lineside and industrial locations, the steam locomotives featured consist of many ex-London Midland & Scottish Railway designs. These include Stanier’s Pacifics, 4-6-0s, 2-8-0s and 2-6-4Ts, Fowler’s 4-6-0s, 0-6-0s and 0-6-0Ts, Fairburn 2-6-4Ts and Hughes 2-6-0s. Supporting these in the county were BR’s new Standard Classes – Britannia Pacific, Class 5 and 4 4-6-0s, Class 2 2-6-0, 9F 2-10-0. Some of the London & North Western and Lancashire & Yorkshire engines survived into the BR period, as did ex-Great Central Railway locomotives on the Cheshire Lines Committee routes. At industrial locations 0-6-0ST and 0-4-0ST engines were favoured.As an interesting and vibrant place for railways, Lancashire attracted many enthusiasts, both local and tourists, in the 1950s and 1960s. A number had their cameras on hand to record a transitional time in British history which has thankfully allowed this collection to be presented.

Thirteen years elapsed between the publication of British Railways’ Modernisation Plan and the end of steam services on the national network. In this transitional period, modern traction worked alongside steam engines and was captured by enthusiasts across the country.Yorkshire offers an interesting insight into the changeover during the mid-to late 1950s and much of the 1960s, as the two forms of traction worked side-by-side on the main lines and branches with both passenger and freight trains. The county was also affected by several other features of the plan, such as line closures, station rebuilds and infrastructure improvements.Yorkshire Railways from Steam to Modern Traction uses over 200 colour and black-and-white images to present this changing scene in the 1950s and 1960s.Many of the familiar steam locomotive classes are featured: Fowler Royal Scot; Stanier Jubilee; Stanier Class 5; Thompson B1; WD Austerity; etc. New diesel classes working in Yorkshire were: Brush Type 2 (TOPS Class 30), English Electric Type 3 (Class 37), English Electric Type 4 (Class 40), Sulzer Type 4 (Class 45) and Brush Type 4 (Class 47). The Sheffield to Manchester Woodhead route was electrified in the 1950s and the EM1 and EM2 Classes handled freight and passenger services respectively.The locomotives are seen at locations across Yorkshire: Alne; Ardsley; Arthington; Barnsley; Batley; Beverley; Bradford; Bridlington; Doncaster; Halifax; Harrogate; Hellifield; Holbeck; Huddersfield; Hull; Leeds; Mirfield; Normanton; Penistone; Rotherham; Scarborough; Selby; Sheffield; Wakefield; Whitby; York.The pictures have been taken from the lineside, at stations, sheds and marshalling yards.

The Great Western Railway’s first train ran on the Broad Gauge during 1838 and thereafter the company developed an esteemed reputation amongst travellers and enthusiasts alike.The Glorious Years of the GWR looks at the early days of the Broad Gauge to the conversion to Standard Gauge and the post-Grouping period using over 230 excellent black-and-white images. Split into several sections, the book presents locomotives, carriages, buses and road vehicles and stations.The photographs have been taken at the GWR’s stations, sheds and workshops, as well as the lineside, spanning South West England, the West Midlands and most of Wales.A number of the various locomotive classes built over the years are featured, including: Daniel Gooch’s Iron Duke Class singles; constituent Broad Gauge locomotives; William Dean’s singles and 4-4-0s; Joseph and George Armstrong’s classes; Churchward’s pioneering designs; Collett’s recognisable 4-6-0s, etc.The GWR developed a distinct identity with their coaching stock, taking inspiration from developments in America. This was displayed in the 70 ft Dreadnought stock of the early 20th century and later by the Super Saloons of the late 1920s. Many steam rail motors were built for local services in the 1900s and the GWR was amongst the early adopters of the idea. The use of slip coaches also set the company apart from others in Britain.In 1903, the GWR was the first railway company to offer a bus service, running from Helston to The Lizard. This began a development of local routes and led to the adoption of motor transport for goods traffic from the rail head to destination.The GWR was operational for 110 years and during that time the company’s officers and employees were able to create a lasting legacy of hard work, achievement and innovation.