Steam Around ...

British Rail's Modernisation Plan was published in December 1954. One of the ways in which it aimed to improve Britain's railway stations was by phasing out steam locomotives and replacing them with diesel or electric traction. This came into force from the late 1950s through to the end of the 1960s, and the last new steam engine, Evening Star, was built at Swindon in 1960. By early 1966, the Western Region was the first to have no steam locomotives at all. In this book, Patrick O'Brien and David Nicholas use a stunning collection of black and white photography to look at the last days of steam in the Bristol area, covering the stations of Temple Meads, Lawrence Hill, Staple Hill, Mangotsfield, Yate, Ashley Hill and Keynsham, as well as the area's three engine sheds, primarily focusing on Barrow Road and St Philip's Marsh.

Stronghold of the Romans, and later the Vikings, York was to become the powerbase of the infamous 'Railway King', George Hudson, whose empire would eventually extend from the far north of England to the south and south-west. Today, York is the home of the National Railway Museum where many old steam locos are on display, along with diesel and electric types from Britain and abroad. Indeed, the NRM provides many of the steam locos operating excursion trains to Scarborough. In Steam Around York & the East Riding the glorious days of steam traction around York and the East Riding have been recaptured; the days when the railway was an important part of the infrastructure in the area and the trains were used by thousands of passengers for holidays to local seaside resorts and beyond, via the docks at Hull and Goole, as well as freight goods and shipping. Through a multitude of pictures furnished with informative captions from an acknowledged expert, the heyday and decline of the railways of York and the East Riding is explored in depth and the services, engines and locations of this remarkable industry are recorded for posterity.

The 1960s saw the last hurrah of steam on the railways – the final period of steam-powered locomotives dominating the main line. This meant that a colourful array of traffic could be found across the length and breadth of Great Britain, and an army of enthusiasts both young and old dutifully recorded the nation's rail scene. Here, in the first of a new series of books celebrating the steam of 1960s Britain, Keith W. Platt looks back at the wide range of traffic that could be found on the busy railways around Carlisle. This book is packed with a vibrant selection of previously unpublished images, and will delight anyone with memories of steam around Carlisle or an enthusiasm for the area's railways or history.

The 1960s saw the final hurrah of steam on the railways – the final period of steam-powered locomotives dominating the main line. This meant that a colourful array of traffic could be found across the length and breadth of Great Britain, and an army of enthusiasts both young and old dutifully recorded the nation's rail scene. Here, in the first of a new series of book celebrating the steam of 1960s Britain, Keith W. Platt looks back at the variety that could be found on the railways around Leeds. Packed with previously unpublished images, this is a book that will delight anybody with memories of steam around Leeds or an enthusiasm for the area's railways or history.

The north-east of England and the Middlesbrough area are the birthplace and cradle of modern railways. Collieries had been established in the North East since the Industrial Revolution and wagonways were constructed using horse power to transfer coal from pitheads to the coast for onward shipment to the capital and elsewhere. The Stockton & Darlington Railway (S&DR), the first public railway in the world, received royal assent in 1821. In 1831, Middlesbrough became part of the infant railway network when the S&DR extended its line from Stockton. At that time, Middlesbrough was no more than a small fishing community, but it did lie downstream of shallows which had to be negotiated by ships sailing from Stockton Wharf. Soon afterwards, ironstone deposits were discovered nearby and, along with coal, were brought to Middlesbrough by rail, allowing the establishment of a thriving iron and steel industry. From then until the Beeching Axe of the 1960s, the railways around Middlesbrough were still busy with passengers and freight. Much of the railway system around Middlesbrough remains intact, serving industries in the area, but local stations have ceased to exist, much like the steam locomotives that were a major part of the history of the area for some 150 years.

The 1960s saw the final hurrah of steam on the railways – the final period of steam-powered locomotives dominating the main line. This meant that a colourful array of traffic could be found across the length and breadth of Great Britain, and an army of enthusiasts both young and old dutifully recorded the nation's rail scene. Here, in the first of a new series of book celebrating the steam of 1960s Britain, Keith W. Platt looks back at the fascinating array of traffic that could be found around the railway town of Doncaster. Packed with previously unpublished images, this is a book that will delight anybody with memories of steam around Doncaster or an enthusiasm for the area's railways or history.

Basingstoke and Salisbury are important rail centres on what was originally the London & South Western Railway, and later the Southern Railway and finally the South Western Section of the Southern Region.Basingstoke is where the main lines from Waterloo diverge, to Southampton, Bournemouth and Weymouth, and to Exeter and the West of England. Basingstoke also acts as an interface between the former Southern and Western Regions for inter-regional passenger and freight traffic.Rather like Basingstoke, Salisbury acts as an interchange point, not only with the Western Region passenger and freight services via Westbury, but also cross-country services from Portsmouth and Brighton, the majority either going onto destinations on the Western region.This book contains, in chronological order, fascinating photographs of steam-hauled services and individual locomotives taken at these locations, supplemented by some others from elsewhere on the LSWR mainlines. These rare images range from between 1956 and 1965, the majority of which have not previously appeared in print.

Having been established as a seaside resort since the seventeenth century, Scarborough was an attractive destination for the new railways of the mid nineteenth century, and the town became part of George Hudson's empire by the late 1840s. However, the line through Scarborough was not the first line to be built in the area - a line had been constructed in the 1830s connecting Whitby with the market town of Pickering. From such developments, routes were established which finally put Filey on the railway map, and several branch lines were built connecting rural outposts with the main lines. This book relates the development of these lines and their lives under the NER, LNER and BR, until their eventual closure under Dr Beeching. All is not lost, however, and the re-establishment of a preserved line between Pickering and Grosmont is also covered along with main line steam into Scarborough, recalling the wonderful days when Scarborough was descended upon by thousands of holidaymakers who would have come to this famous resort by train. Timetables and locoshed allocations give an idea of the locomotive types which operated in this area of North Yorkshire and the sort of service passengers could expect both on the main lines and rural branches, giving as complete a picture as possible.