Quest for Speed by Derek Hayes

Quest for Speed by Derek Hayes

A visual history of high-speed trains Hop aboard this fascinating journey through the early days of railway trains to the modern day superfast Maglevs which can reach speeds of 600km/h. Exquisitely illustrated with hundreds of photos, both archival and modern, the book is a visual feast for anyone even remotely interested in railways. This is a journey through time and throughout the world, investigating trains that have been considered high-speed in their day. Focused at first in Britain, the birthplace of the railway, the book covers developments in the 19th and 20th centuries across Europe, including the birth of the French TGV, which is credited with kickstarting the modern rise of the high-speed train in the West, inspired itself by the early Japanese Shinkansen—the Bullet Train—in 1964. From steam to diesel to gas turbines to electric and from steel-wheeled to magnetic levitation (maglev), it is all covered in this book, including significant, recent innovations such as driverless trains and maglev on conventional track, which may well be the way of the future. With hundreds of colour photographs, many taken specially for this book, and readable text aimed at all those interested in history and the development of technology—not just railway enthusiasts—Quest for Speed will entertain, fascinate and delight.

Derek Hayes is a geographer by training, has a passion for old maps and what they can reveal about the past. He is the author of the bestselling Historical Atlas Series (Douglas & McIntyre), which includes the Historical Atlas of Canada, Historical Atlas of the North American Railroad, Iron Road West, An Illustrated history of British Columbia’s Railways and Historical Atlas of Early Railways. He holds two degrees in geography. Trained as a geographer at the University of Hull in England and the University of British Columbia, he worked for a time as a planner with the Vancouver City Planning Department and was also a columnist for Fine Books & Collections magazine for several years. He lives in White Rock, BC.

SKU	Unavailable
ISBN 13	9780008704131
ISBN 10	0008704139
Title	Quest for Speed
Author	Derek Hayes
Condition	Unavailable
Publisher	HarperCollins Publishers
Year published	2024-08-29
Number of pages	256
Cover note	Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.
Note	Unavailable