Story Series – serie

As the world's first - and only - supersonic passenger transport aircraft, the Anglo-French Concorde has never been out of the news. From its maiden flight in 1969 until its retirement from airline service in 2003, Concorde's achievements have been perpetually in the superlativ - the fastest, highest, most luxurious, most expensive (to build as well as to fly in) - to name just a few. The sleek white bird set standards in aeronautical design and passenger service that remain unsurpassed to this day. Here is the incredible story of an icon of 20th century design technology.

The RAF's mighty delta-wing Vulcan jet bomber is an enduring image of the Cold War era. A cornerstone of Britain's nuclear deterrent, it was later adapted for conventional bombing and saw its only active service in the Falklands War. Newly restored with the help of Heritage Lottery Funding, the last airworthy Vulcan B2 XH558 in many ways fills the gap left by Concorde's retirement.

Probably the most famous fighter aircraft of all time, the Supermarine Spitfire reigned supreme and unsurpassed from the biplane era to the dawn of the jet age, a period that included the Second World War. Here is the incredible story of this legendary aircraft, from its genesis in the 1930s to its continued presence at airshows and museums today.

This concise but authoritative story of RMS Titanic, the most famous ship of all time, is packed with fascinating facts.

Britain has a history of producing and using a wonderful array of fishing boats, some of which still sail under private ownership. These older vessels developed in their own unique ways, dependent on local traditions, the type of fishing, their place of operation and innovation from fishermen and boatbuilders alike. Later, with motorisation, they changed dramatically through the steam era until the advent of the internal combustion engine. Today fishing boats old and new attract scores of people to fishing harbours everywhere, inspired by picturesque scenes, the life on board or the new breed of vessels with their modern technology in an ever-increasing competitive market.

Perhaps no other aircraft in aviation history has been such a well-kept secret as the United States’ Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird. This cutting-edge aircraft took the art of aerial spying to an unprecedented level and did it all from highly clandestine high-speed spy missions over Communist nations during the late 1960s and 1970s. With the help of breath-taking photographs, Mark Chambers tells the fascinating story of this truly unique aircraft’s design and development as well as its famous and ingenious designer Mr Clarence ‘Kelly’ Johnson.

It’s easy to forget that the original Range Rover, launched in 1970, created the luxury sport-utility vehicle market from scratch. A marvel of British ingenuity developed on a shoestring budget, it was the first four-wheel drive car that was as happy on tarmac as it was on rocky terrain. It truly blazed a trail for a worldwide motoring trend. The Range Rover Story is a timely and concise reminder of all that Range Rover has achieved since a tight-knit group of engineers first turned their thoughts to something ground-breaking.

The Jaguar name is synonymous with style, power, performance, luxury and an intangible element of Britishness. It’s hard to imagine its humble origins in a Blackpool backstreet as the Swallow Sidecar Company. Jaguar Cars was formed in 1945, and the metamorphosis began: superb engines, knockout design, epic racing victories and thrilling sports saloons followed. Over the years it has become a living legend. Here, Giles Chapman captures the astounding story of this iconic car company with a collection of beautiful pictures.

The archetypal Routemaster is arguably the most recognised vehicle in the world, as witnessed at the recent Beijing Olympic handover ceremony. Buses have been operating on London's streets since 1829, originally with horse-drawn omnibuses, and the London Omnibus Company was founded in 1855 to regulate the various services. The first motorised buses made an appearance in 1902 with the LGOC beginning to manufacture the buses itself two years later. For six decades London went its own way with specially designed buses. More recent innovations such as the 'bendy' bus have not been popular, but today practicality of pushchair and wheelchair access has consigned the Routemaster to a nostalgic, but much-loved, position. With full-colour photographs, this book comprehensively tells the story behind London's famous red buses.

QM2 was introduced in 2003 to the great fanfare, as the largest, longest, grandes and most expensive ocean liner ever built. She replaced the beloved QE2 on the transatlantic run and has become a firm favourite around the world, her popularity soaring with eache new port she visits. Her interiors and fourteen spacious decks put QM2 head and shoulders above the rest and hark back to the golden age of ocean liners. Cunard experts Chris Frame and Rachelle Cross present the full story behind this great liner, from her concept as the next generation of ocean liner to her world-breaking achievements. With full colour photographs and fascinating facts, this is a must-have for all those who love ocean travel.

The SS Great Britain Story is a concise account of one of the most famous steamships ever built. The great Victorian engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunel embraced the latest innovations, including an iron hull and a screw-propeller, to create an ocean liner that was decades ahead of its time. Launched by Prince Albert in 1843, the SS Great Britain was nearly lost three years later when she ran aground in Dundrum Bay, Ireland. Fortunately she weathered the winter storms and went on to enjoy a long and chequered career. She spent many years transporting emigrants to Australia, served as a cargo vessel, and almost ended her days stranded on the Falkland Islands. Following an incredible rescue mission in the 1970s, fully documented here, she was returned to dry-dock in Bristol, where she was originally built, and is now the centrepiece of a fascinating and ongoing restoration project.

The book covers over 100 years of tractor development and features more than 100 different tractors. The first steam engines on wheels which used belts to drive farm machinery developed into traction engines, used on farms by pulling a plough on cables between two engines. In the 20th century, stationary internal combustion engines, such as the Clutterbuck, began to be put on wheels and moved around a farm to drive threshing machines by belt. Dozens of small companies grew up around the world following their own lines of development. Most lasted only a short time. Firms like Allis-Chalmers, Benz, Lloyd, Jelbart, Glasgow, Fordson, Bates and Hart-Parr are famous names which have faded away or been taken over. A few companies, such as Case and Massey, started in the middle of the 19th century and continue today on a global scale. John Deere started making ploughs in 1837 and is now the largest manufacturer in the world. Some developments have caused a giant leap forward: the use of rubber pneumatic tyres rather than metal wheels; turbo-charged diesel engines and the hydraulic three-point hitch system designed by Ferguson, which is still used today in some form on most modern machines. All are photographed here, many in action and in different countries.

In September 1939, Hitler’s Nazi Germany invaded Poland. Thus began the greatest armed struggle in history. Within days of the invasion, Germany was at war with France, Great Britain and much of the Commonwealth, but by the end of 1941 – by which time Japan and the United States had been plunged into war – the conflict had engulfed virtually the entire planet. World War II witnessed the mobilisation of more than 100 million military personnel. Here was ‘total war’ on a scale never previously experienced by any of the countries involved. The conflict eclipsed everything: industry, technology, the economy and home life. It transformed the lives of an entire generation of men and women, who grew up under the shadow of violence, separation and loss. It was also fought in every conceivable terrain and theatre, from the arctic conditions of the Soviet winter to the tropical landscape of the Pacific islands, with the battle for seas and skies being equally brutal. By the time it ended in September 1945, World War II had claimed the lives of more than 50 million people, and it witnessed the only use of nuclear weapons in warfare to this day. The World War II Story charts the dramatic narrative of the conflict from its first shots to its final apocalyptic end.

What Europe needed after the Second World War was an ultra-reliable workhorse to get small businesses on the move again. And, with a little nudge from the Dutch, that’s what Volkswagen provided in 1950 with its Transporter van. It was no fireball, but rock-solid quality meant it always delivered the goods.But then something incredible happened. People found that they enjoyed the trusty Transporter, and that it made an excellent place to spend the night. And once the British had helped perfect a way to raise the roof, the Volkswagen Camper became a worldwide phenomenon - the mobile home for everyone from student adventurers to gung-ho grandparents.Volkswagen vans have been front- (originally rear-) engined and water- (originally air-) cooled now for over 20 years, yet the spirit of the Camper is as unbowed as ever.Here, award-winning writer Giles Champman tells the whole, amazing story.

The KdF car, a German acronym for Strength Through Joy, was conceived by Adolf Hitler’s Third Reich as a true German ‘people’s car’. There is precious little in the legacy of 1930s Nazi Germany that is positive, but after the Second World war – and with a little help from the British – the Volks Wagen really did help put the average man on the road in a car, designed by the great Ferdinand Porsche, that was reliable and well-built. First it set benchmarks for customer satisfaction across Europe, and sales soared. Then it arrived in North America and the slope-backed, rear-engined economy car became a cult hit. By the time the very last original Beetle was built in 2003, over 21m had been built, making it by a long chalk the best-selling single car model of all time. Although its concept is dated by modern standards, the Beetle magic is undimmed, which is why Volkswagen introduced an all-new, modern Beetle in 1998. It has carved out a niche as a distinctive and eye-catching car in a world of automotive clones.

Before the Ford Capri arrived in 1969, GT cars had tended to be expensive, temperamental, impractical and rarefied. Ford decided there was no reason why a four-seater coupe couldn’t look stunning and go like a rocket (with the right engine) yet be as easy and cheap to run as a Ford Escort. Little wonder that the slogan they used in 1969 to launch it, ‘The car you always promised yourself’, made an immediate impact. The Capri was a hit from day one, and continued to be a British favourite until 1986, at which time it had been somewhat overshadowed by the emergence of the Hot Hatchback. Over its lifetime, the Capri was available in a vast array of guises over three distinct ‘Marks’, but all of them had at their heart affordable fun and a surprising degree of everyday practicality. Nothing has ever quite replaced it, but it lives on in the fond imagination of everyone who loved it.

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.

The very first Land Rover, launched in 1948, owed its low-key existence to shoestring British ingenuity and – literally – odds and ends left over from World War II. Rover thought it could keep its factory ticking over as the company’s post-war fortunes slowly revived. They also thought that farmers might appreciate it as a handy cross between a pick-up and a tractor. But it was soon obvious that the company had created, in the land Rover, a world-beating product. Giles Chapman tells the story of how Land Rovers have tamed the planet’s toughest terrain with their unstoppable off-road capability. It also charts how the Land Rover legend allowed the marque to gradually expand its range with the Range Rover, Discovery, Freelander and the latest Range Rover Evoque. They’re all cars as familiar in cities and suburbs as they are at home in the countryside. Land Rover has been controversial, its fortunes tied to Britain’s economic ups and downs. Today it’s on a roll, leading a renaissance in British design and manufacturing, yet the continued presence of the Defender helps keep the Land Rover Story absolutely pukka.

It was not until after the Norman Conquest that British castles, as we think of them today, came into being. Before this point, the only fortifications in England were Iron Age hill forts surrounded by deep trenches and timber palisades. More so than anything else, the English castle symbolises the long and tumultuous struggle for dominance and control in a realm where the threat of invasion or attack was never far away. From Corfe Castle, where Lady Mary Bankes defended her home against besieging Parliamentarians, to the Tower of London, where Sir Walter Raleigh conducted chemical experiments whilst in prison, to the photogenic castle at Alnwick, which provided the setting for the wizards’ school in the Harry Potter films, these great strongholds powerfully evoke the rich and varied history of the English nation. In this beautifully illustrated book full of little-known facts, Marc Alexander reveals the turbulent story of English castles such as Windsor and Warwick, featuring colourful photographs and fascinating anecdotes.

The castle is an evocative structure, no matter its setting, and this is no truer than in Scotland, where the multitude of castles reflect the country’s turbulent history: its many conflicts and skirmishes, whether against invaders from the north, the English to the south or between clans. Castle building reflected the dual needs to control a population and protect against rebellion and invaders. They have been the scenes for some of the most dramatic deeds in British history throughout war and political confl ict and, of course, without the strategic and psychological effect of castles the feudal system would have been impossible. In this well-researched and beautifully illustrated book, Marc Alexander explores the story of Scotland’s castles, featuring many vivid tales from history and legend, and showcasing a wide range of its incredible wealth of castles.

Since 1840, Cunard ships have been transiting the North Atlantic with speed, grace and elegance. These great ships helped to populate nations, served during both world wars and have transported millions of passengers, amongst them celebrities, politicians and royalty. Through tales of ships such as Britannia, Lusitania, Mauretania, Aquitania and the immortal Queens, The Cunard Story gives readers an insight into the heritage of this historic line. Today the Cunard Line operates a fleet of modern ships, offering passengers exciting and varied itineraries to exotic locations across the globe.The Cunard Story is a must-have for all maritime historians and ocean-travellers, especially those with affection for this historic line and its grand vessels.

The Boeing 747, more commonly know as the 'Jumbo-jet', was for many years the largest passenger airliner in service. Peter March describes its development and service history with the world's airlines, and includes a wide range of interesting facts and figures. His concise, but engaging narrative is complemented by a selection of high-quality colour photographs showing the 747 at work.

The Special Air Service (SAS) was formed in the North African desert in 1941, the brainchild of Colonel David Stirling. He bequeathed to the present day a simple, unshakeable fact – a small force of well-trained, well-armed, determined men operating way behind enemy lines can achieve damage and destruction totally out of proportion to its size. This concept remains as true today as it was then.A unique combat unit was created; copied but never equalled – the much feared SAS. Mike Morgan tells the story of the SAS, from its beginnings in the Second World War, through its involvement in the ‘bush wars’ of the 50s and 60s, and the more secretive military operations of the Cold War era, through to the Gulf Wars of more recent years. Nearer to home, the anti-terrorist duties of the SAS are covered – for example, the Iranian Embassy siege. He also looks at what it takes to be an SAS soldier, their selection and training, their weapons and equipment, and their links to the Special Forces of other nations. A series of appendices cover gallantry awards and a timeline of the regiment.

‘The fastest lorries in Europe’, the Italian carmaker Ettore Bugatti laconically described Walter Bentley’s huge, snarling British race cars that aggressively dominated motor racing for years. Driven by hard-partying young men known as the Bentley Boys, they consistently beat all comers, winning the Le Mans 24 Hour endurance race five years out of six. They also dominated Brooklands – the cradle of motor racing – and its thundering, steep banking, becoming the world’s most admired and feared sporting cars. Bought by Rolls-Royce in 1931, Bentley languished in semi-obscurity for decades as their parent company concentrated on its main marque. In the 1980s Bentley re-emerged with mighty turbo-charged super cars, and saved the financially ailing Rolls-Royce from going under. Bentley was back, and today is the world’s leading performance luxury car.

The creative and technological genius of the Wright brothers, Wilbur and Orville, led to the first powered and controlled flight. Born in Ohio, USA, the brothers’ fascination with flight began at an early age. Their first powered aeroplane, ‘The Wright Flyer’, was tested at Kitty Hawk in 1903. Wilbur’s first flight was on 14 December 1903, but quickly stalled and crashed. Three days later, after repairs, Orville flew to 540ft and landed safely after 12 seconds; this was the first powered flight in aviation history. Packed with facts, figures and little-known details, this book charts the triumphs and tragedies of the Wright brothers as they set about making history together.

All civilisations have faced the challenges of trading by sea: storms, bad weather, and the hazards of cliffs and other natural landmarks that threaten their safe passage into ports and harbours. To guard against this, their people built lighthouses – first as simple fires on hillsides, but soon these turned to grand towers and buildings that cycled through each scientific advancement as it came. Lighthouses have now become part of the landscape. Aided by beautiful photographs from all four corners of the British Isles, Nicholas Leach presents the story of the lighthouse and its development, from the earliest lights to the modern navigational aids.

Designed to improve on the F-4 Phantom’s air combat performance, the Tomcat entered service in 1974 with the US Navy, replacing the F-4 Phantom II. The winning Grumman design reused the TF30 engines from the F-111B, though the Navy planned on replacing them with the F401-PW-400 engines then under development by Pratt and Whitney for the Navy. Though lighter than the F-111B, it was still the largest and heaviest U.S. fighter to ever fly from an aircraft carrier. The F-14 had its first kills on 19 August 1981 over the Gulf of Sidra and went on to serve in Operation Desert Storm, Operation Enduring Freedom over Afghanistan and Operation Iraqi Freedom. The only F-14 loss in combat was when a crew was shot down over Iraq, the pilot rescued by Special Forces and the RIO held as a POW until the end of the war. In this book Tony Holmes tells the story of this fascinating aircraft which still serves in Iran’s Air Force today.

The C-130 Hercules first flew in 1954, an easily maintained aircraft which entered service with the USAF Tactical Air Command. Ten years later the 'Charlie 130' was providing the essential logistical support in Vietnam where a new landing technique, the Khe Sanh approach, added to the Hercules folklore. Paradrops, airlift and evacuation operations were completed around the clock, often at low level, usually under fire and nearly always in bad weather. AC-130 gunships blasted the Ho Chi Minh Trail at night, Lamplighters and Blind Bats dropped flares, and others scattered defoliant, 'pancake bombs' and 15,000 'Big Blue' block-busters. But more than anything else it was in the role of 'Trash and Ass hauler' that the C-130 earned unstinting admiration from ground troops and aircrews alike. The 'Herky Bird' or 'Fat Albert', as the C-130 is fondly known, went on to serve with similar panache in the Gulf War and in humanitarian relief operations around the world. Today, the modern C-130J version continues to provide the effective support for which the Hercules name is renowned.

There is no more famous ship in recent history than Queen Elizabeth 2. The flagship of the Cunard Line for most of her life, this legendary vessel wandered the world's oceans for almost forty years. The QE2 Story offers a concise history of this, the greatest ocean liner of our time, from her construction, early life and various refurbishments, to her triumphant farewell and retirement in Dubai. Events of historical importance, such as her service in the Falklands War, are described in detail. Complemented by memories of those who sailed aboard her, and brimming with interesting facts and photographs, this book chronicles the unending appeal of the QE2.