This fascinating pocket book draws on numerous primary sources from the early days of the rail network through to the Big Four British Railways & beyond to present a unique guide to the knowledge & skills required for locomotive drivers engineers & firemen. Beginning with an introduction to steam from about 1890 the book outlines the rules of the rail network locomotive management from driving to servicing a guide to signalling & operations & rules of the running shed along with a wealth of practical advice & conditions of service for the men on the footplate. The Railwaymans Pocket Book offers a unique insight into the age of steam that will appeal to all railway enthusiasts. ...

1975 was the year in which Margaret Thatcher defeated Edward Heath to become leader of the Conservative Party Charlie Chaplin was knighted by the Queen & the Vietnam War ended with the fall of Saigon. On the railways two major accidents at Moorgate & Nuneaton resulted in considerable loss of life & the prototype High Speed Train reached speeds in excess of 150mph on the London to Bristol main line. ...

The strategic importance of railways was recognized almost from the beginning of their development but it was not until the end of the nineteenth century that their real value was appreciated by the military. In both the First & Second World Wars railways were crucial in the transportation of men munitions & coal whilst on the Continent British forces operated railways to support the war effort. The heroic story of railways at war was confirmed in the months before & after the D Day landings in 1944 when thousands of trains were run to support the Allied invasion cementing their role as the fourth service during the Second World War. Here Tim Bryan provides an authoritative & fully illustrated guide to the railways role in Britains war efforts. ...

Although dominated by the lines built for & inherited by the Great Eastern Railway East Anglia was also the preserve of one of the country's most important joint railways the Midland & Great Northern; as well as a number of minor railways such as the Mid-Suffolk & the Southwold. The extreme south of the area along the Essex Coast the London Tilbury & Southend Railway later a subsidiary of the Midland Railway was a significant operator. For a variety of reasons including electrification of the suburban lines out of Liverpool Street & closure of virtually the entire M&GN system in 1959 East Anglia was one of the first parts of BR to see steam eliminated with the last vestiges being withdrawn in the early 1960s. Colour views of steam operation in the area particularly unpublished views are therefore; less common than on those areas & regions that retained steam for longer. This book portrays the evolution of railway operation in East Anglia from the Modernisation Plan of 1995 through to the mid-1970s. It encompasses the gradual elimination of steam the closure of many of the rural branches & secondary routes the introduction (and withdrawal) of the railbuses & the arrival of the diesel-electric classes. The locations illustrated are: Liverpool Street Stratford Cambridge Romford Colchester Ipswich Norwich & Peterborough. ...

Published annually for over 30 years Railways Restored is regarded as the Bible by the railway preservation movement & is both well received by reviewers & readers. The book is fully revised to reflect the changes new schemes & occasional closures along with listings of locomotives on site. This new & fully updated volume incorporates a list of major events planned for 2012 along with a vast amount of information useful to visitors to over 200 railway heritage sites. This is a must have for any rail enthusiasts collection. ...

A fascinating collection of entertaining stories from as far afield as Europe Indian & America revealing unusual railway journeys across the centuries including ghost trains vanishing passengers & trains fitted with homing pigeons instead of a communication cord! From eccentric lords who transferred their carriages complete with horses & footmen onto the train to drivers who stole garden fencing to keep up a good head of steam. Railways Strangest Journeys takes you from the dawn of railway travel when speeds of 15 mph were considered blasphemous & damaging to ones internal organs through the Victorian heyday of Royal Trains & seaside specials right up to the present day." ...

This intriguing & entertaining guide will not only appeal to all fans of best-selling series The Last Dragon Chronicles but will also appeal to everyone with an interest in dragons! In a collaborative work between Chris & his wife Jay the book features character profiles information on backgrounds & settings in the series & explores relevant themes such as climate change. It

Includes:: stunning illustrations & photographs & is a book that everyone can enjoy dip into & indulge their passion for dragons! The Last Dragon Chronicles: The Fire Within Icefire Fire Star The Fire Eternal Dark Fire

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The Rain Before it Falls"
- Jonathan Coes heartbreaking novel of family secrets. Deeply moving & compelling " The Rain
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This title is an explosive novel set in the highly volatile area of Senga on the North-Eastern border of Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) in the mid 1960s & early 1970s. The powerful dram erupts as the British South Africa Police later joined by the Rhodesian Army & supported by the Air Force struggle against communist backed guerrillas who use violence & torture to intimidate tribesmen to follow their cause. They fight to restore peace
- a peace that is governed as much by force of arms as by the tribesmens faith in the uncanny predictions of their tribal spirit medium who communes with the spirit of the rain goddess.
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Rain Later Good is the award winning story of Peter Collyers extraordinary journey around the Shipping Forecast areas & has been a bestseller since first publication. The artists brilliant & detailed paintings reproduced actual size offer a series of images which help conjure up the most mythical locations whilst his delightful idiosyncratic text provides a wealth of fascinating insights. He introduces us to the people who live & work in these areas & passes on snippets of tantalising information to give a powerful impression of the place & convey a real feeling of being there. The beautiful paintings which come from Peter Collyers travels truly capture the spirit of these wild & isolated spots. This is a book to be treasured & its reissue will be welcomed by Peters many admirers. A very remarkable painter. His work is simply stunning with an observed intensity which makes him very special indeed. Chris Beetles in The Daily Telegraph The most delightful & unexpected book Ive encountered this year...a wonderful book. John Naughton The Times ...