British Railways (GB): books - history and rolling stock

ABC British Railways Locomotives (Combined Volume - Spring 1955)

The series of reprints of the famous Ian Allan Publishing 'abc' volumes from the 1950s and 1960s have been welcomed both by the generation of enthusiasts who used them when they first came out, and also by those who were not around at the time.

This book lists all the locomotives operating on British Railways in winter 1954 and spring 1955 and includes the large numbers of pre-Grouping and Big Four locomotives that were still in existence as well as the first British Railways built Standard locomotives (as well as the 15 proposed 'Clan' class locomotives that were never built).
Also included are the early diesel and electric locomotives and multiple units entering into service before the wholesale changes that followed the Modernisation Plan of 1955.

British Rail : The Nation's Railway

British Rail is a contentious company, as controversial as Dr Beeching and his axe. However, this examination of BR's passenger services shows just how vital the organisation was. It successfully carried millions of commuters to and from their jobs every day; organised its trunk route services to yield a profit under the brand name 'Inter-City'; and pioneered world-beating research and technological development through its own research centre and engineering subsidiary.

It transformed the railway system of Britain from a post-Second World War state of collapse into a modern, technologically advanced railway. And it did all this despite being starved of cash and being subjected to the whims of ever-fickle politicians.
This is a story, expertly weaved by Tanya Jackson, of how all this was achieved against the odds. Complemented by stunning black-and-white and colour images, this is certainly a volume that no rail enthusiast should be without.

British Rail Departmental Locomotives 1948-1968 - Includes Depots and Stabling Points

Although the railways employed the vast bulk of their locomotives on commercial passenger and freight duties, they also employed a number on departmental duties. These were the unseen workhorses of the railways - trains that worked in sheds, workshops or even as stationary boilers.

This significant book provides a single reference to all the departmental locomotives - steam, diesel, electric and battery - both standard and narrow gauge, that were operated by BR from 1948 to the end of steam in 1968. In addition, it includes useful mapping information for locomotive locations together with reference photographs.

Britain's Railways in the 1970s

The 1970s marked a distinctive era for Britain's railways, witnessing the recent replacement of steam by diesel traction and the ongoing electrification of the West Coast Main Line. The introduction of powerful locomotives and the vibrant 'rail blue' livery portrayed a rejuvenated and cleaner railway environment, fostering a sense of optimism.
For railway photographers, this period proved opportune. The remnants of steam-era infrastructure and intricate track layouts persisted, while abundant freight traffic traversed marshalling yards for sorting. The diverse array of locomotive classes, often regionally oriented, provided ample subjects of interest.

Simultaneously, the groundwork for a transformative railway landscape was underway. Standardization of locomotives aimed at reducing maintenance costs, a shift in freight focus towards direct block trains from supplier to customer bypassing marshalling yards, and streamlined track layouts for enhanced speed and reduced maintenance signaled a paradigm shift.

This book's photographs capture the essence of this captivating transitional period in the railways, showcasing the coexistence of traditional elements and the seeds of a modernized railway system.

British Rail Through the 1980s

NEW

The 1980s was a decade of change for British Rail as the BR regions began to be replaced by sectorisation. The BR Blue livery, however, lived on through the decade, gradually being replaced by new liveries.
In this photographic journey through the rail network of the 1980s, Stephen Dance portrays the last years of BR Blue and Large Logo liveries, alongside the new sectorisation and special liveries.

Images include Deltics and other motive power on the East Coast Main Line; the Midland Main Line prior to the introduction of HSTs; Class 50s and other motive power on the Western Region; the electrification of the Great Eastern Main Line; and a variety of other scenes including loco-hauled services in Scotland and photographs documenting Works and freight across the country.
With an array of superb photographs, Stephen Dance presents a fascinating overview of the railway scene in Britain in the 1980s.

British Rail in the 1980s and 1990s- Electric Locomotives, Coaches, DEMU and EMUs

The 1980s and 1990s were exciting times for British Rail. For many years British Rail had been structured into regions and the livery for rolling stock consisted of blue and grey or just plain blue.
Now, however, the railways of Britain were entering a new chapter of sectorisation, restructuring and divisions. Introduced were exciting new bold liveries like Network SouthEast's red, white, grey and blue, and InterCity's two-tone grey, red and white - complete with stylish Silver Swallow logo.

The freight companies also introduced new liveries; mostly a two-tone grey with logo to denote which sub-sector owned it and RES (Rail Express Systems) later introduced a striking red livery with blue and grey flashes. New rolling stock, locomotives, coaches, DMUs and EMUs all entered service across the country, finished in the new liveries of the recently formed sectors.
Other rolling stock moved on across the network and over time received new liveries for their new work.

In this book, the second of two, Kenny Barclay shares some of his collection of photographs of electric locomotives, coaching stock, DEMUs and EMUs taken at various locations across the country during the 1980s and 1990s.
Being an employee of British Rail at this time, Kenny Barclay had regular access to a number of depots and railway works where many of his photographs were taken.
This book, a companion to British Rail in the 1980s and 1990s: Diesel Locomotives and DMUs, exhibits a selection of some of his finest photographs from this period.

Locomotives at BR Workshops

Upon its establishment in 1948, British Rail inherited numerous workshops from the Big Four railway companies scattered throughout the nation. Tasked with rationalization, British Rail closed several smaller workshops while transforming others into key engineering centers. These workshops played a pivotal role in the construction, repair, overhaul, and scrapping of British Rail locomotives, multiple units, and carriages.

Major workshops, such as Crewe, Doncaster, Derby, Eastleigh, Swindon, St Rollox, Wolverton, and York, emerged as significant hubs, enduring until Swindon's closure in 1986.
In 1969, these workshops fell under the banner of British Rail Engineering Limited, later privatized in 1989 and eventually sold in 1992, becoming Bombardier.
Presently, only Crewe, Eastleigh, Wolverton, and St Rollox (later Springburn) remain operational. This book meticulously captures the daily operations of these workshops, offering glimpses of locomotives in various states of repair, providing a visual journey through their historical significance.