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Transport Books
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Details: The Red Arrows
are the worlds greatest
aerobatic display team.
For decades they have
thrilled the crowds with
their exciting mix of
precision formation
flying with manouvers.
This gift set contains a
mini book by Collin Higgs
with loads of photographs
and a in depth look into
Red Arrows. Gift set also
contains a 60 minute DVD
with all you need to hear
and see about The Red
Arrows. Ideal For: Would
be a great gift for fans
of The Red Arrows.
Availability: In Stock
£5.99
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Described as the most
hated civil servant in
Britain, it was half a
century ago that Dr
Richard Beeching was
appointed as chairman of
British Railways with one
key directive to cut the
soaring losses. The 1950s
had seen the start of a
mass shift from public to
private transport, as
lorries, cars, buses
and motorbikes replaced
trains as Britain s most
popular means of travel.
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Details: Explore all of
your favourite bikes in
this gift set,
containing 1 book on the
most greatest British
bike of all time The
Triumph and 1 DVD 90
Minutes running time
about all your favourite
British Bikes including
there history. Ideal For:
This would make the
perfect gift for all fans
of motorcycles and
motorsport.
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£5.99
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Details: A lovely
selection of black and
white images of the Devon
and Cornwall Lines from
the 1950s and 1960s.
Covers the Great Western
and Southern Region
including Locomotive
Depots and Branch Lines.
Ideal for: The perfect
book for railway
enthusiasts. This
paperback book has 72
pages and measures: 20 x
21 x 0.5cm.
Availability: In Stock
£4.99
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Life Along the Line takes
a nostalgic look at the
world of British railways
through the eyes of
bestselling author and
antiques expert Paul
Atterbury. Focusing on
the human experience of
the railways ? the
drivers, firemen,
guards, station staff,
signalmen, engineers,
caterers and, of course,
passengers ? the book is
a visual feast, filled
with fascinating archive
photographs of steam
trains, other
locomotives, memorabilia
and evocative railway
ephemera. Built from
archive photographs, old
postcards, badges and
other railwayana, the
book is filled with
fascinating material that
Atterbury has himself
collected from tireless
searching at postcard and
antique fares and auction
sites. Many of the
illustrations are
therefore original and
previously unpublished.
Covers railway life
across the network as
well as showcasing local
differences in a series
of regional sections.
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Details: Imagine life
without the London
Underground? The iconic
Tube has been
transporting Londoners
around Britains
capital for 150 years,
and today 150, 000
passengers use the
Underground every hour.
This fascinating
miscellany takes us on a
round-trip through every
aspect of the London
Underground, from the
history of its
construction to its many
appearances in books,
films and popular music,
giving a glimpse into the
technical marvels beneath
our feet and the many
human stories that play
out in its trains and
tunnels every day. 1845:
A pamphlet is published
in which Charles Pearson,
a London lawyer, pushes
the idea of an
underground railway to
transport both passengers
and goods to the city
centre. 1863: On 10
January the Metropolitan
Railway goes down in the
history books when it
opens the first
subterranean railway in
the world. 1998: A
previously undiscovered
breed of mosquito,
adapted to life
underground, is
discovered living in the
Tube network. 2012: Close
to one million people use
the Northern line alone,
every day. Ideal for: All
tube travellers. A must
have in everyone's
library. This hardback
book has 207 pages and
measures: 18.3 x 11.7 x
2.4
Availability: In Stock
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Details: The incredible
biography of the most
famous steam locomotive
in the world. Think of
the Golden Age of Steam
and one train leaps to
mind above all others:
the Flying Scotsman,
Nigel Gresleys
elegant masterpiece of a
locomotive. She broke the
world speed record in
1934 and has enthralled
millions with her beauty
and power. Uniquely, her
post-war career has been
even more varied and
exciting than her early
triumphs. Now Andrew
Roden tells the
Scotsmans
remarkable story, from
her construction and the
glory days between the
wars through the decline
of steam and her
rollercoaster fortunes in
the subsequent years:
nearly abandoned on a
tour of the United States
after the money ran out,
crossing the Australian
interior, then put up
for sale yet again when
the company that owned
her went bankrupt in
2003. A massive public
campaign saved her for
the nation and the Flying
Scotsmans
restoration began in 2005
at the National Railway
Museum. With the aid of
numerous interviews with
those involved with the
Scotsman over the years,
Roden brings her story
memorably to life. Above
all, he asks: why do
grown men risk their life
savings to own her? Why
do thousands of people
still line the trackside
when shes due to
race past? And just what
is the eternal appeal of
the Flying Scotsman?
Ideal for: if you are
interested in trains of
the past. A great coffee
table book and
introduction into the
world of steam. This
paperback book has 246
pages and measures: 19.7
x 12.9 x 1.7cm
Availability: In Stock
£2.99
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Beginning life in 1887 as
a bicycle manufacturing
company, The Triumph
Cycle Company went on to
become today's Triumph
Motorcycles Limited.
Since motorcycle
production commenced in
1902, the Triumph
factory has produced
thousands of classics
designs and is regarded
as being producers of
some of the world's
finest motorcycles, from
the original Bonneville
in 1959 to today's
models. The Triumph name
is one of the most
popular names in
motorcycling. It is an
evocative title, one
that conjures up all
sorts of powerful imagery
while the word itself
triumph literally means
to win. What a great name
with which to christen
your product. Triumph the
motorcycle maker has for
the most part in its
100-plus years been a
success story; a triumph,
in fact. The idea of
this here is to
celebrate, through a
selection of images,
that success story.
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How do you make an object
that changes the way
people think about
travel, a small metal
box that inspires huge
devotion in those who own
it, a car that continues
to make headlines fifty
years after its launch?
In May 1959, the first
Mini was produced on an
assembly line at Cowley,
near Oxford. It would
take a team of supremely
talented designers,
draftsmen, engineers and
production-line workers
to build a car that was
unique in appearance and
construction. They would
clash frequently over an
uncomfortable and unsafe
prototype, and the
public had to be
convinced to buy a car
that let in two inches of
water when it rained. But
somehow the Mini became
an icon. Originally
designed for austerity
and efficiency, the car
soon came to represent
individuality and
classlessness. Today,
the car is still produced
at Cowley - it is now
owned by BMW and called
the MINI. A great British
manufacturing story, it
is more popular
throughout the world than
it has ever been, a
symbol of the age that
created it. But who makes
these things, and what
do they think about their
work? By meeting the
people behind the MINI,
Simon Garfield uncovers a
fascinating story of
British endeavour,
ingenuity and masterful
marketing. The modern
MINI has come a long way
from the leaky floor and
sliding windows. But
throughout its history,
the people behind it have
always known that they
have been making
something rare - a car
with soul.
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Learner drivers need
training on how to spot
hazards because they are
often so busy thinking
about the car's controls
they forget to watch the
road and traffic around
them - losing
concentration for even a
second can prove fatal.
Proper training can help
road users to recognise
more of the hazards they
may meet and crucially
how to spot them earlier.
With this in mind this
"Hazard Perception
CD-ROM" from the AA
contains all the
information a learner
driver needs to know in
order to pass the Hazard
Perception driving test.
This edition features a
PDF of the Northern
Ireland edition of the
"Highway Code" -
essential reading for all
road users. It is
compatible with MAC and
PC.
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Jonathan Glancey is a
lifelong steam enthusiast
who has oiled, fired and
driven, as well as
watched and listened to,
steam locomotives around
the world. In Giants of
Steam, he turns his
enthusiastic and
knowledgeable attention
to the thrilling story of
the last, and greatest,
generation of steam
railway locomotives in
regular main line
service. Designed and
built chiefly by the
railways and workshops of
Britain, France,
Germany and the United
States, these powerful
and beautifully designed
machines would take steam
locomotive technology to
new heights set against a
backdrop of the political
upheavals and military
conflicts of the mid
twentieth century. A
celebration of the last
great days of steam,
Giants of Steam also
commemorates the
dedicated and often
charismatic engineers who
designed and built these
effective and emotive
machines and put them to
use. Glancey tells the
stories of the greatest
of these 'steam men',
among them Nigel Gresley
and William Stanier in
Great Britain, Andre
Chapelon and Marc de Caso
in France, William
Woodard and Paul Kiefer
in the United States and
Richard Wagner and Otto
Wolff in Germany. And he
shows what happened as
they faced up to the
challenge of
modernization and the
notion that steam is
inherently old fashioned
and dirty. Giants of
Steam also reveals how
steam design has
continued to progress
against the odds in
recent decades, while
enthusiasm for the steam
locomotive itself is far
from burning out. A story
of invention, skill and
passion, Giants of Steam
reveals how the true
advocates of steam's
glory days pushed its
design and performance to
remarkable limits.
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Details:Learn all about
the Porsche with this
complete book and dvd box
set. Set includes a DVD
with an in-depth insight
into one of the greatest
cars of all time. It
takes a look at the most
outstanding model for the
past 50 years!Set also
includes a book written
by Philip Rabey that
tells the story of the
worlds most exciting car
complete with stunning
action photographs and
detailed specification
tables. Ideal for:This is
the ultimate gift for
Porsche enthusiasts
wether they are fortunate
enough to own one or
not.Running time
approximately: 1 hour 55
minutes
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This charming little
handbook was first
published in the 1950s as
an aid for stewards
entering the Merchant
Navy. It contained notes
on the necessary
etiquette and skills
required to serve
passengers on the great
ocean liners of the day,
whether in first class or
the emerging tourist
class.Packed with all
sorts of fascinating
facts, tips and hints
and supported by
diagrammatic drawings of
table settings from
breakfast to dinner,
this will appeal not only
to former ship stewards
reminiscing on days gone
by, but also to anyone
who is part of the
burgeoning cruise
industry, where people
can still enjoy this
level of service. Cookery
historians will also find
much of interest in the
menus of the time that
are listed together with
the handy glossary of
French terms at the back
of the book. Finally,
this is also the book for
anyone who ever wondered
how to get a drinking
glass clean and smudge
free: 'Glasses should be
washed in warm water,
rinsed in cold, dried
with a linen cloth (linen
does not leave fluff on
the glass in the same way
as cotton).' or correctly
uncork and serve a bottle
of champagne. Its
nostalgic impact is
further reinforced by the
inclusion of the adverts
that appeared in the
first edition, from
Sun-Pat peanuts to Old
Charlie Rum.
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Altogether, 386 colour
illustrations portray the
history of steam from
Stephenson's Locomotion
to Riddles' Evening Star,
together with the
carriages, rolling
stock, signals, railway
coats of arms and classic
locomotives which proved
to be railway milestones.
This book is a joy of
nostalgia for the days
when steam ruled the
railways. The fashions,
the craftsmanship and the
excitement of the steam
period are vividly
represented in its 392
pages.
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Details: Little Book of
Traction Engines details
the development and
heyday of the working
steam road locomotive and
takes a look at the many
derivatives designed to
economise industrial and
agricultural processes,
previously performed with
archaic and outdated
methods. Using
contemporary colour
photographs and rarely
seen black and white
archive images, it looks
at the sheer power of the
heavy haulage engine and
the extraordinary loads
and tonnage they were
capable of pulling over
British roads. Little
Book of Traction Engines
celebrates the giants of
the road in a golden age
of British industrial
heritage, when this
country's engineering
excellence was once
recognised the world
over. Ideal for:
Transport, vehicle and
engine enthusiasts or for
those wanting to learn
more about the Golden Age
of British Industrial
heritage. This hardback
book has 157 pages and
measures approximately:
16 x 15.6 x 1.5cm.
Availability: In Stock
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Details: Developed using
four-wheel drive
technology, the Audi
quattro stands out as one
of the most revolutionary
sports cars ever built.
From its debut in the
1980s, the quattro was
set to steal the show and
it went on to do just
that both on and off
road. Today, it is a
much loved classic with
fans and quattro
enthusiasts the world
over. Originally, Audi
had intended to produce
just 400 quattros to be
used in rally driving,
but in the end, nearly
11, 500 vehicles were
built for a hungry export
market. The car was
unveiled at the Geneva
Motor Show in March 1980
and as the first
four-wheel drive grand
tourer since 1966 it
caused a sensation. The
car became one of the
most significant rally
cars of all time when it
was one of the first to
take advantage of the
changed rules in
competition racing
allowing a four-wheel
drive to participate.
Critics were sceptical
that a four-wheel drive
could achieve as near as
much momentum, power and
versatility. They were to
be proved wrong. Ideal
for: Audi quattro fans of
all ages - a great gift
for that special man in
your life. This hardback
book has 127 pages and
measures approximately:
15.9 x 15.7 x 1.2cm.
Availability: In Stock
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Britain's railways
represent a unique
national heritage, and
the history of their
development is a
fascinating record of
ingenuity, innovation
and achievement. This
comprehensive and
evocatively illustrated
history of the railways
in Britain analyses key
periods in the
progression from the
first steam engines to
the modern age, showing
how the railways shaped
the physical, social and
economic landscape of the
nation. The book also
showcases the
considerable wealth of
Britain's preserved
railway heritage, with
information on the
nation's best historic
lines. This guide covers
the major standard,
narrow and miniature
gauge preservation
railways throughout
England, Scotland and
Wales, providing
essential visitor
information to ensure a
fantastic day out for
families and enthusiasts
alike.
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Footplate Cameraman is a
personal view of the
dying years of steam on
Britains railways.
Always an enthusiast,
Jim Carter worked
hes way up from a
15 year old engine
cleaner at Sutton Oak MPD
to firing and driving a
wide variety of
locomotives and trains
from Patricroft Depot.
From his earliest days on
the railways he always
carried a camera and
excellent productions of
his camerawork,
especially from the cab
or his remarkable on-shed
night shots, give a very
special coverage of the
days of steam. While
naturally concentrating
on the north of England
and his favourite
locomotives, The
Duchesses. There are
sections on Great Western
and Southern Locomotives.
All in all this is a book
for the connoisseur.
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Details: Back in 1947
someone called S.N. Pike
? we know nothing more
about him ? published
three little pamphlets,
each mapping in forensic
detail one of
Britains main line
rail routes. Now Aurum
reissues all three in one
handsome volume ? adding
a fourth in the same
style to complete the
set. Pike produced
booklets on the LNER (the
East Coast main line),
the LMS (West Coast main
line) and the Southern
Railway network the
Brighton line and all its
ramifications) ? but for
some reason he never got
around to doing one on
the Great Western (the
route from Paddington to
Devon and Cornwall). What
subsequently became of
S.N. Pike we don?t know.
But now Aurum completes
the set, to make one
nostalgic guide to
Britains railways
as they were just after
the War. The books are
full of period interest ?
the East Coast line, for
example, still goes past
Alexandra Park
racecourse, sees a
tangle of colliery
sidings all the way up
through Yorkshire, and
passes 20 places where
?GPO mail bag catching
nets? are erected close
to the rails?. When
todays high speed
trains swish to Paris so
fast that the landscape
beyond is a blur, this
delightful book reminds
you what once could be
seen on a long railway
journey. Ideal for:
railway enthusiast and
also makes for a great
present. This hardback
book has 160 pages and
measures: 22.5 x 14 x
1.6cm
Availability: In Stock
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Tractors of the World is
a pictorial history of
the tractor with
full-colour pictures
alongside historical
black-and-white. It
depicts the days of
primitive steam-powered
traction engines,
through to the sleek,
sophisticated powerhouses
that perform as the main
workhorses of todays
farming industry.
Featuring all of the
most-beloved makes from
John Deere, Fordson and
Allis Chalmers to Massey
Ferguson, SAME and -
many farmers ultimate
workhorse - the
Japan-built Kubota,
tractor enthusiasts wont
be able to get enough
information about their
favourite models.
Tractors come in all
shapes and sizes, and
this book covers the
field from the early
steam-driven monsters to
the traditional two
large, two small wheel
configuration; the Row
Crop models with two
small front wheels placed
close together and two
large rear wheels, and
finally to the ultimate
modern,
four-wheel-drive,
multi-geared mega-beast
with GPS devices and
on-board computers.
Tractors have a unique
following of enthusiasts
who would like to, or
actually do, own one of
these wonderful machines.
The cult of the tractor
is still going strong in
every corner of the
world.
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Details: The Little Book
of Aston Martin tells the
story of one of Great
Britain's most coveted
motoring marques. Aston
Martin was formed in the
1920s, but by no means
has it been an easy ride,
having to deal with
financial struggles and a
number of changes of
ownership, still, this
small company has managed
to produce some of the
most beautiful sports
cars ever seen. This
little book includes the
very early models such as
the International and the
Le Mans right up to the
stunning Vanquish and
DB9. With a chapter on
the most famous of Aston
Martin drivers - James
Bond and some
little-known facts. Once
you've had a read, you
will be wanting an Aston
Martin of your very own!
Ideal for: Motoring and
Aston Martin enthusiasts
- a great buy for all
ages. This hardback book
has 142 pages and
measures approximately:
15.8 x 15.8 x 1.4cm.
Availability: In Stock
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Details: The true flavour
of the glory days of
steam trains, brought to
life in this richly
illustrated collection of
first-hand accounts from
railway passengers and
locomotive drivers across
Britain. From the
glamorous drivers on the
great mainline
locomotives to everyday
commuters and
trainspotting schoolboys,
the engaging stories
give a real glimpse into
the lives of those who
lived and worked in the
steam era. Hundreds of
glorious photographs
featuring trains,
stations, staff and
passengers truly
transport the reader back
to this lovingly
remembered age of
transport. Special
feature spreads
interspersed throughout
the book focus on some of
the most visually
striking aspects of the
railways during this
time, such as extreme
weather, record breaking
trains and the artworks
used to decorate the
carriages. Ideal for: An
excellent book for those
that lived through this
era and for rail
enthusiasts. This
paperback book has 251
pages and measures: 27.5
x 21 x 1.6cm.
Availability: In Stock
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Details: The world's
first 'jump-jet'
warplane, the Harrier
has earned an outstanding
reputation as both a
fighter and attack
aircraft. Blooded in the
Falklands War and heavily
involved in the Desert
Storm campaign, the
aircraft has performed
spectacularly for the
RAF, Fleet Air Arm and
the US Marine Corps.
Harrier V/Stol Warrior
serves as a fitting
tribute to an outstanding
aircraft. With excellent
photography and captions
covering the latest
operational versions, it
gives the reader an
insight into the
activities of all the
current operators of the
Harrier. Ideal for: An
enjoyable and valuable
addition to any book
collections of aviation
enthusiasts. This
hardback book has 128
pages and measures: 23.5
x 22 x 1.4cm.
Availability: In Stock
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Details: The perfect
companion to any flight -
a guide to the science on
view from your window
seat. There are few times
when science is so
immediate as when you're
in a plane. Your life is
in the hands of the
scientists and engineers
who enable tons of metal
and plastic to hurtle
through the sky at
hundreds of miles an
hour. Inflight Science
shows how you stay alive
up there - but that's
only the beginning. Brian
Clegg explains the ever
changing view, whether
it's crop circles or
clouds, mountains or
river deltas, and
describes simple
experiments to show how a
wing provides lift, or
what happens if you try
to open a door in midair
(don't!). On a plane
you'll experience the
impact of relativity,
the power of natural
radiation and the effect
of altitude on the
boiling point of tea.
Among the many things
you'll learn is why the
sky is blue, the cause
of thunderstorms and the
impact of volcanic ash in
an enjoyable tour of
mid-air science. Every
moment of your journey is
an opportunity to
experience science in
action: Inflight Science
will be your guide. Ideal
for: People interested in
learning about popular
science. Everything you
were afraid to ask is
explained in this
brilliant guide to the
science of getting into
the air, staying there
and landing. This
paperback has 212 pages
and measures: 21.7 x 13.7
x 1.8cm
Availability: In Stock
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Details: This book is a
stunningly illustrated,
comprehensive guide to
the history of the steam
railway in Britain. Ideal
for: Train enthusiasts
looking to find out more
about the history of the
British steam railway.
This hardback has 224
pages and measures 20cm x
16.5cm x 2.3cm
Availability: In Stock
£2.99
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Details: Take a look into
the origins of the LMS in
South Wales. This book
takes a look at the
victorian entrepeneurs,
gamblers and fanatics
both Welsh and English
who build railways to
exploit the wealth of
South Wales. This story
of determination and
vision is told within a
context of the Welsh
mineral business. This
book is an amazing study
with over 400
photographs, maps and
diagrams and four
previously unpublished
paintings by Gwyn Jones.
Ideal For: This book is
ideal for those who have
an interest in the
history of Wales and a
passion for the train
history and origins.
Measures: 24cm x 18cm.
Availability: In Stock
£6.99
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Details: Lost Leviathans
is a joyful celebration
of Colin Garratt's 40
years of professionally
documenting these
wonderful machines.
During this time he has
visited more than 40
countries all over the
world, with eight
expeditions to India and
twenty to China. The
result has been a
matchless legacy of
pictures which can only
be of increasing interest
and value as time passes.
This is the finest
possible visual tribute
to the steam locomotive
ever produced. With more
than 300 colour
photographs, it
documents machines of
every conceivable shape,
size and colour, often
framed by some of the
most memorable landscapes
in the world. Ideal for:
This book is destined to
become the jewel of any
train-lover's collection.
This hardback book has
224 pages and measures:
25.5 x 30.6 x 2.3cm.
Availability: In Stock
£9.99
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Details: As in Great
Britain, the period from
the mid-1950s onwards saw
considerable changes to
the railways of Ireland
with contraction seeing,
for example, the demise
of the final narrow gauge
lines and the
complexities of the
division of the Ireland
leading to the closure of
the bulk of the erstwhile
GNR(I) network. It was
also a period that
witnessed the final
elimination of main line
steam in both the
Republic and Northern
Ireland, although the
latter retained steam for
longer than the rest of
the United Kingdom, as
diesel traction was
introduced. Initially
many of the new
locomotives and
diesel-units delivered
for use on Ireland s
network were built in
Britain but increasingly
overseas manufacturers,
most notably General
Motors, came to
dominate, particularly
with CIE. In this title
Derek Huntriss reflects
the changes in Irish
traction between the
mid-1950s and the early
1980s, encompassing the
last steam operations and
the career of the first
generation of Irish
diesel locomotives.
During these years
Ireland acted as a magnet
for many of the leading
railway photographers
from Britain and the book
draws upon these
collections to provide
images covering railways
in both the Republic and
Northern Ireland. Ideal
for: A must have book for
the railway historian.
This hardback book has 96
pages and measures: 29.8
x 22.2 x 1.2cm.
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Little Book of Steam
tells the evocative story
of steam railways from
the end of the 18th
century, when an early
pioneer built a small,
three-wheeled
steam-powered machine.
Soon after a simple steam
engine was pulling coal
wagons in Wales, and
just 21 years later the
world's first public
railway opened between
Stockton and Darlington.
By the 1960's steam
engines were on their way
out to be replaced by the
less romantic diesel and
electric locomotives. But
the steam legacy lives
on, thanks to the hard
work and dedication of
enthusiasts. Written by
an ex-engine driver and
lifelong steam
enthusiast, this little
book will bring the
excitement and romance of
steam railways into your
life.
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For almost a century,
the UK's road network
rumbled to the sound of
haulage and delivery
vehicles almost
exclusively made up of
trucks built on home
soil. From the 1920s
right through to the
1960s, British
manufacturers became
renowned for their
production of reliable
workaday lorries and
quite rightly earned a
reputation for quality
engineering. The likes of
Albion, Commer, Foden
and Scammell would
eventually become
household names,
contributing to the
country's economic
growth. Yet in the 21st
century, a truck proudly
carrying the badge of a
British company is seldom
seen and furthermore it
is even rarer to find one
that has actually been
built in this country.
Only the very few such as
Leyland and Dennis have
survived the test of
time, albeit in the form
of subsidiaries to larger
organisations. With over
100 previously npublished
images, the Little Book
of Trucks charts the
history of the King of
the Road, from the
humble steam wagon to
giant diesel-powered
articulated juggernauts.
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Featuring classic images
of the most famous
locomotives ever built,
including the 'Flying
Scotsman' and 'Duke of
Gloucester', discover
the story behind the
golden era of steam. This
book gives an insight
into the conception,
launch, growth and
decline of the steam
engine in Britain. Also
included are 5 pieces of
fascinating memorabilia,
with a memorable menu and
postcard, timetable,
seat reservation and
insurance document.
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Details: The Duchesses
tells the story of the
?Princess Coronation?
class of locomotives -the
streamlined embodiments
of raw, bulked-up muscle
and formidable power that
any enthusiast will tell
you were the finest steam
engines in Britain.
Conceived of by the
London, Midland and
Scottish Railway to rival
the LNERs
illustrious ?A4
Pacifics?, these trains
heralded in the last
golden age of steam.
Designed by the great
William Stanier, theirs
is a story of grand
beginnings, a slow
trajectory of decline and
a recent, celebrated
rebirth. Today, there
are two ?Duchesses? still
in existence: Duchess of
Hamilton and Duchess of
Sutherland are now
restored to their
original streamlined
appearance. As The
Duchesses? beautiful
cover illustration
suggests, these
Coronation locomotives
were beautiful to behold;
truly majestic feats of
engineering. Andrew
Rodens book tells
the story of their time
in British Railways
service; the class?
decommissioning in the
1960s; the extraordinary
saga of two trains?
unlikely preservation by
Billy Butlin at his
holiday camps; and their
eventual return to steam
on the main line. The
Duchesses completes a
trilogy of railway books
from Aurum, joining
Mallard - the story of
the worlds fastest
steam locomotive - and
Flying Scotsman ?that of
the worlds most
famous. Ideal for: if you
are interested in trains
of the past. A great
coffee table book and
introduction into the
world of steam. This
paperback book has 248
pages and measures: 19.7
x 12.9 x 1.7cm
Availability: In Stock
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Details: Respected
transport author Julian
Holland delves into the
intriguing world of steam
in his latest book,
which is full of
absorbing facts and
figures on subjects
ranging from Cornish beam
engines, steam railway
locomotives, road
vehicles and ships
through to traction
engines, steam rollers
and electricity
generating stations and
the people who designed
and built them. Discover
which steam locomotive
holds the world speed
record, find out how the
operators of horse-drawn
buses sabotaged
Londons first steam
buses, and learn why
Charles Parsons?
revolutionary steam
turbine embarrassed the
royal family. Discover
the answers to these and
many other intriguing
aspects of the steam age
in this absorbing
collection of stories and
trivia. Ideal for: Brief,
accessible and
entertaining pieces on a
wide variety of subjects
makes it the perfect book
to dip in to, perfect
for steam fans. This
hardback book has 144
pages and measures: 17.8
x 14 x 1.5cm.
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-
Details: This book tells
the story of the world's
most famous steam
locomotive and
illustrates in
photographs - many
previously unpublished -
the legend that is
'Flying Scotsman'. As
early as 1923 and shortly
after completion at
Doncaster Works, even
before the paint was
hardly dry, the as-yet
unnamed Flying Scotsman
had secured a place in
the annals of railway
history. A year later,
the locomotive was chosen
by the LNER to represent
the best that the company
could offer and suitably
embellished, the
locomotive went on public
display at the 1924
British Empire Exhbition.
Ideal for: A perfect book
for locomotive
enthusiasts. This
paperback book has 96
pages and measures: 17.1
x 23.6 x 0.6cm.
Availability: In Stock
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In the 1830s, The United
States underwent a second
revolution. The opening
of the Baltimore & Ohio
line, the first American
railroad, set in motion
a process which, by the
end of the century,
would enmesh the vast
country in a latticework
of railroad lines,
small-town stations and
magisterial termini,
built and controlled the
biggest corporations in
America. By the middle of
the twentieth century,
however, as the
automobile and the
aeroplane came to
dominate American
journey-making, the
historic importance of
the railroads began to be
erased from America's
hearts and minds. In The
Great Railway Revolution,
Christian Wolmar tells
us the extraordinary
one-hundred-and-eighty-year
story of the rise, fall
and ultimate shattering
of the greatest of all
American endeavours, of
technological triumph and
human tragedy, of
visionary pioneers and
venal and rapacious
railway barons. He also
argues that while America
has largely disowned this
heritage, now is the
time to celebrate,
reclaim and reinstate it.
The growth of the US
railroads was much more
than just a revolution in
mode, speed and
convenience. They united
the far-flung components
of a vast and disparate
country and supercharged
the economic development
that fuelled its rise to
world-power status.
America was created by
its railroads and the
massive expansion of
trade, industry and
freedom of communication
that they engendered came
to be an integral part of
the American dream
itself.
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Details: Ford of America
was only months old when
the first Fords came to
the Shippeys' American
Manufacturers Direct
Supply Agency showroom on
Long Acre, London.
Arthur Shippey thought he
could sell a franchise
for Ford cars so in March
1904 he displayed three
at the Agricultural Hall,
Islington. They were on
the stand of the American
Motor Car Agency, whose
proprietor Aubrey
Blakiston quickly ordered
a dozen more. The car
market looked promising
and Blakiston exchanged
shares in his syndicate
against a 16-year lease
of Shippey's Central
Emporium showroom, a
prospect that appealed to
an employee, Percival
Lea Dewhurst Perry. Perry
became a shareholder in
the American Motor Car
Agency and was on hand
when the first
consignment of Fords were
delivered in wooden
crates. On 29 March 1911
Perry set up Ford Motor
Company (England) Ltd,
from a showroom at 55-59
Shaftesbury Avenue,
setting out to make Model
Ts at Trafford Park,
Manchester, the hub of
Britain's rail network.
By 1914 he was
distributing vehicles in
covered wagons to 1000
dealers. The workforce
welcomed Ford; it paid
the best rates, 10d to
1s 3d (4p to 6.25p) an
hour, although under
their terms of employment
everyone had to be able
to shift from trade to
trade. Pre-First World
War Britain became Ford's
second biggest market
after the US, and Ford
turned out, in the long
run, more stable and
consistent in the United
Kingdom than the
indigenous motor
industry. It became
integrated so completely
into domestic industrial
and manufacturing that it
was often regarded
(sometimes even by
Detroit) as
quintessentially British.
The nation's hundred year
love affair with Ford is
celebrated in this book
that rekindles the
affection generations had
with the big V8s, the
practical nimble Anglias
and Prefects, milestone
cars like the Consul,
Zephyr and Zodiac of the
1950s and the Escorts,
Cortinas and Granadas
later. For 40 years the
Transit set a benchmark
for middle weight
commercial traffic.
Ford's place in the
history of motor racing
was secured at Le Mans,
the world championship
grand prix circuits of
Formula 1 and was even
successfully exported to
Indianapolis, to the
astonishment of the only
slightly senior Ford of
America. 'The Ford in
Britain Centenary File'
celebrates 100 years of
the Ford Motor Company in
Britain. It includes a
complete history of the
company plus a car by car
review and technical spec
of every model over the
last century. Ideal for:
Lovers of Ford cars and
especially if you are a
Ford man. Ideal for any
car fanatic. Yhis
hardback book has 304
pages and measures: 21.7
x 21.5 x 2.8cm
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Details: A nostalgic
album of colour
photographs looking back
at a lost world where
small coasters and
freighters plied their
trade between both major
ports and the smaller
harbours around of the
British Isles. Ideal for:
A fabulous book for
maritime enthusiasts.
This hardback book has 80
pages and measures: 19 x
24.5 x 1cm.
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Details: ?It ought to be
a film, of course,
pitched somewhere between
The Right Stuff and
Chariots of Fire.
Meanwhile, Don
Hales well-ordered,
compelling book will do
nicely? Andrew Martin,
Daily Express Seventy
years ago, on 3 July
1938, on the East Coast
main line, the
streamlined A4 Pacific
locomotive Mallard
reached a top speed of
126mph - a world record
for steam locomotives
which still stands. Since
then, millions have seen
this famous locomotive,
resplendent in her blue
livery, on display at
the National Railway
Museum in York. Reissued
for the 75th anniversary
of the speed record, Don
Hale tells the full story
of how the record was
broken, from the
nineteenth century
rivalry to be fastest
between London and
Scotland, and,
surprisingly, traces
Mallards futuristic
design to the Bugatti car
and Germanys
nascent Third Reich,
which elevated the train
into an instrument of
national prestige. And he
celebrates the singular
figure of Mallards
designer, Sir Nigel
Gresley, one of
Britains most
gifted engineers. Mallard
is a wonderfully
nostalgic evocation of
one of British
technologys finest
hours. Don Hale is the
author of Town without
Pity, about his
investigation of the
wrongful conviction of
Stephen Downing for
murder, for which Hale
was awarded the OBE.
Ideal for: This book is a
must for all steam
enthusiasts. This
paperback book has 181
pages and measures: 19.7
x 12.9 x 1.3cm
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Most British railway
companies established
their own workshops for
the construction and
maintenance of
locomotives, carriages
and wagons. Whole towns
built up around these
massive, self-sufficient
complexes, and names
such as Ashford, Crewe,
Derby, Doncaster,
Eastleigh and Swindon
will always be associated
with their railway
origins. This is the
story of these works and
their products, from the
earliest days of railways
to the present time.
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Falling Upwards tells the
story of the enigmatic
group of men and women
who first risked their
lives to take to the air,
and so discovered a new
dimension of human
experience. Why they did
it, what their
contemporaries thought of
them, and how their
flights revealed the
secrets of our planet in
wholly unexpected ways is
its subject. In this
heart-lifting book, the
Romantic biographer
Richard Holmes floats
across the world
following the pioneer
generation of balloon
aeronauts, from the
first heroic experiments
of the Montgolfiers in
1780s to the tragic
attempt to fly a balloon
to the North Pole in the
1890s. It is a compelling
adventure story of the
kind that only Holmes
could tell. Dramatic
sequences move from the
early Anglo-French
balloon rivalries, the
crazy firework flights of
beautiful Sophie
Blanchard; the revelatory
ascents over the great
Victorian cities and
sprawling industrial
towns of Northern Europe;
and the astonishing
long-distance voyages of
the American entrepreneur
John Wise, and the
French photographer Felix
Nadar. Later we find
balloons used to observe
the horrors of modern
battle during the
American Civil War
(including a memorable
flight by General
Custer); the legendary
tale of sixty balloons
that escaped Paris during
the Prussian siege of
1870; and the terrifying
high-altitude flights of
James Glaisher FRS who
rose above seven miles
without oxygen, helping
to establish the new
science of meteorology as
well as the environmental
notion - so important to
us today - of a 'fragile'
planet. Besides the
aeronauts themselves,
readers will also
discover the many writers
and dreamers - from Mary
Shelley to Edgar Alan
Poe, from Charles
Dickens to Jules Verne -
who felt the imaginative
impact of flight and
allowed it to soar in
their work. Through all
these adventures, the
narrative continually
lifts off in unexpected
literary and scientific
directions, exploring
the interplay between
technology and science
fiction, the
understanding of the
biosphere, and the
metaphysics of flight
itself. Most of all,
through the strange
allure of the great
balloonists, Holmes
offers another of his
subtle portraits of human
endeavour, recklessness
and vision.
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100 years of airborne
innovation and adventure
for aviation fans - in a
new compact edition From
the Wright brothers'
first powered flight, to
Concorde's final voyage
and the tragic crash of
the Columbia, take a
sky-high journey through
the history of aviation.
Charting the
trailblazers, jet test
pilots and constant
progress at the
cutting-edge of
technology, every aspect
of flight is explored.
Recalling memorable
events - record-breaking
flights, aerial warfare
and terrorist hijackings
- this is the story of
how man's dream to fly
became a reality and
central to modern
history. Endorsed by the
Smithsonian Institutions
National Air and Space
Museum and the Imperial
War Museum, Duxford.
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Details: The Norfolk
Broads is a beautiful,
peaceful part of England,
where the pace of life
is slow and relaxed. It
is a haven for lovers of
the natural world,
abundant with wildlife,
and an escape from the
pressures of modern life
under a wide open sky.
Whether you are boating
along the river network,
searching for wildlife
among the reeds, sitting
at a riverside inn or
visiting a nature
reserve, the Broads
provides a palce to 'get
away from it all'.
Landscape photographer
Jon Gibbs captures the
magic and the serenity of
this unique area in a
mesmerizing collection of
photographs. Ideal for: A
wonderful picture book,
that would make a perfect
gift. This hardback book
has 128 pages and
measures: 27.5 x 25.5 x
1.5cm.
Availability: In Stock
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-
Details: The branch lines
of Oxfordshire were not
so numerous as those of
some other counties, but
they carried a wide
variety of locomotives
and rolling stock, and
included specialist lines
such as those for Morris
Cowley, as well as
branches of the Great
Western Railway. Many of
the lines centred on the
county town, Oxford,
and though a number were
short, some, such as
those to Fairford and
Bletchley, were longer.
Most of the lines were
rural, but some formed
part of a through route,
such as the
Cheltenham-Banbury,
Paddington-Thame-Oxford,
Paddington-Birmingham and
Oxford-Cambridge lines.
Among those lines which
have rarely been reviewed
in publications are the
Bicester Military
Railway, the Wroxton
Quarry Railway and the
Chinnor and Princes
Risborough Railway. All
Oxfordshire's branch
lines are described here
in an entertaining and
informative text that
brings their history to
life. A brief account is
given of the county's
main railway routes
before each branch is
looked at in detail. The
book is illustrated with
over 190 black and white
photographs, maps and
ephemera which capture
the history of
Oxfordshire's railways.
Ideal for: The Branch
Lines of Oxfordshire will
appeal to railway
enthusiasts, modellers,
local historians and
anyone interested in
Britain's industrial
heritage. This paperback
book has 190 pages and
measures: 24.7 x 17.2 x
1.4cm.
Availability: In Stock
£5.99
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-
An action-packed ride
through the history of
aircraft. The Aircraft
Book is all about the
men, machines, and
landmark technology
behind the most iconic
aircrafts from the
Supermarine Spitfire to
the Concorde. Featuring
over 1, 000 of the
greatest military and
commercial aircrafts in
the world, this is an
amazing visual guide
tracing their evolution
over the past 10 decades.
A captivating,
international view of
aircraft through time
from Germany's Zeppelins
to the USA's "Blackbird"
with histories of how
famous marques like
Boeing and Lockheed came
to be household names.
Plus, go on a virtual
tour inside the engines
of some of the legendary
planes to see just what
powers their performance.
The Aircraft Book is
essential for aviation
buffs, covering the
enduring impact that
aircraft has on society
as an object of
curiosity, a symbol of
luxury, and an essential
weapon of war.
Availability: In Stock
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-
Aviation The Early Years
chronicles the first
years of man-powered
flight in photographs,
from the end of the last
century to the era of the
great Zeppelins, and
shows us in numerous
marvellous pictures the
story of the pioneers and
adventurers who extended
the boundaries of human
achievement.
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Celebrate 110 years of
Harley Davidson with this
definitive guide, a
visually stunning,
fast-packed celebration
of the world's most
famous motorbike. Now
expanded and updated,
the book showcases more
than 70 Harley-Davidson
motorbikes - including
exclusive photography
from the Barber Vintage
Motorsports Museum.
Featuring unique engine
close-ups that reveal the
inner workings of classic
Harley-Davidson
motorbikes, this is an
amazing catalogue of
Harley-Davidson
motorbikes, revised and
packed with technical
data, key innovations
and all model variations
and spin-offs.
Availability: In Stock
£6.99
Available
-
Details: The construction
of the Channel Tunnel
Rail Link has been one of
the most significant
engineering projects in
Britain in recent years.
Providing a high speed
link from London, High
Speed 1 as it was dubbed
in 2006 is the first
major new railway in
Great Britain for over
100 years. With
completion in 2007, the
line has brought a
significant reduction in
Eurostar journey times.
This book is the first to
provide a lively and
informative history of
the development of the
Channel Tunnel from
inception to completion.
It includes a chronology
of the complete project
and explains the main
features of the route,
with detailed track
diagrams. Ideal for:
Perfect reading not only
for enthusiasts of the
modern rail scene, but
for those with an
interest in this ground
breaking engineering
project. This paperback
book has 96 pages and
measures:
Availability: In Stock
£3.99
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In his new book David
Packer takes us on a
journey along the route
of one of the worlds most
famous trains - the Royal
Scot, which through most
of its history was hauled
by one of the fastest
locomotives available.
From Euston, near the
site of one of the
earliest experiments with
steam locomotion,
through 400 miles of
English and Scottish
countryside to Glasgow,
the journey has much to
offer. Hills and
mountains, estuaries,
rivers and valleys and
even a glimpse of the
west coast of England,
combine with manmade
features such as viaducts
and cuttings, tunnels
and embankments, as well
as churches, cathedrals,
castles, Roman roads,
canals and motorways, to
provide a microcosm of
Britain that will engage
the travellers attention
along the way.The West
Coast Main Line is one of
the major trunk routes in
Britain, an amalgam of
some of the countrys
oldest railways,
including Stephensons
London and Birmingham
Railway and the Grand
Junction Railway. David
Packer illustrates the
full variety of motive
power, as well as a
wealth of other trains,
both passenger and
freight, which used the
same spectacular line.
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-
The story of Concorde and
the American Supersonic
Transport (SST) project
is one of spies, lies,
arrogance, deceit, and
presidential hatred.
Americans were initially
dismissive of
Anglo-French efforts,
then seen as arrogant,
believing other countries
incapable of completing
the project. When
President Kennedy said
"Make it happen, make it
bigger, make it faster,
he might have added make
it to beat my
presidential rival in
France." This the story
of 10 years of behind the
scenes political
intrigue, the author
making use of inside
information from two U.S.
presidents, the CIA,
and the Federal Aviation
Authority.
Availability: In Stock
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-
It was the railway's
Titanic. An horrific
crash involving five
trains in which 226 died
and 246 were injured, it
remains the worst
disaster in the long
history of Britain's rail
network. The location was
the isolated signal box
at Quintinshill, on the
Anglo-Scottish border
near Gretna; the date,
22 May 1915, Most of the
casualties were Scottish
soldiers on their way to
fight in the Gallipoli
campaign. Territorials
setting off for war on a
distant battlefield,
they were cut down
instead on home soil -
victims, it was said,
of serious incompetence
and a shoddy regard for
procedure in the signal
box, Two signalmen were
sent to prison. But
startling new evidence
reveals that the failures
which led to the disaster
were far more complex and
wide-reaching than
signalling negligence.
The Real Story Behind
Britain's Worst Rail
Disaster - When Truth
Joined the Death Toll,
exposes what really
happened at Quinbtinshill
- and why.
Availability: In Stock
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-
Details: Those who
witnessed the closure of
the Corris Railway in
1948 may well have been
disappointed but were
hardly surprised at that
event. Sixty years later,
however, any survivors
of that era must be
astounded by the
regeneration of the old
railway. The restoration
process, started
gradually during the late
1960s, has gained
increasing momentum,
particularly in recent
years. A Corris
Celebration is a picture
album which records some
of the highlights of this
remarkable
transformation. The old
Corris has exercised a
peculiar charm down the
years - for locals and
visitors alike - from the
halcyon days of manager
J.R. Dix to the years of
deteriation under the
control of the Great
Western. The little
trains wove a magic in
the past which was out of
all proportion to the
scale of the railway and
there are healthy
indications that the
'new' Corris demonstrates
the same kind of
enchantment as the old
line. The coming years
beckon optimistically;
they undoubtedly herald
exciting times ahead.
Ideal for: A fantastic
book for rail
enthusiasts. This
paperback book has 84
pages and measures: 22 x
18 x 0.7cm.
Availability: In Stock
£2.99
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-
This well-researched book
covers the history of the
Harley-Davidson company
and machine from its
humble beginnings,
through its rise to
become the largest
motorcycle company in the
world. Also included is a
comprehensive and
chronological catalogue
of every Harley model
that has ever been
produced. This highly
photographic volume is
both an excellent
introduction for the new
motorcyclist, and a
classic reference and
source book for more
knowledgeable historians,
collectors and
motorcycle enthusiasts.
Availability: In Stock
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-
Details: Since the 1950s,
Dodge has produced a
series of charismatic
performance cars that
have given the company a
unique reputation among
American car makers. The
original Charger and
Challenger and the more
recent Viper and Caliber
SRT are outstanding
examples of the company's
commitment to cars of
high performance and
aggressive styling. Peter
Grist's pictorial history
of these typically
American machines gives a
fascinating insight into
their ancestry and
evolution and celebrates
the huge impact they have
made on the road and on
the track. When the first
Dodge performance cars
were conceived in the
early 1950s, they were a
brave step for a company
that was well known for
its dependable saloons
and pickups. Peter Grist
describes this change of
direction and the radical
new thinking that
resulted in the creation
of the innovative Dodge
'Hemi' V8 of 1953. This
remarkable engine
provided the power for
the first sporting Dodges
and led to the race-bred
D-500 series of 1956,
the first Dodge Muscle
car. Ideal for: An
exciting introduction
that will appeal to
everyone who is
interested in American
automobile history. This
paperback book has 176
pages and measures: 25 x
21 x 1.3cm.
Availability: In Stock
£4.99
Denmark