British Steam- BR Standard Locomotives by Keith Langston

British Steam- BR Standard Locomotives by Keith Langston

After WWII the existing railway companies were all put into the control of the newly formed British Transport Commision and that government organisation spawned British Railways, which came into being on 1st January 1948. The railway infrastructure had suffered badly during the war years and most of the steam locomotives were 'tired' and badly maintained and or life expired. Although the management of British Railways was already planning to replace steam power with diesel and electric engines/units they still took a decission to build more steam locomotives (as a stop gap). Some 999 (yes just 1 short) Standard locomotives were built in 12 classes ranging from super powerful express and freight engine to suburban tank locomotives. The locomotives were mainly in good order when the order came in 1968 to end steam, some only 8 years old.There still exists a fleet of 46 preserved Standards of which 75% are in working order in and around the UKs preserved railways, furthermore 3 new build standard locomotives are proposed. Steam fans who were around in the 1960s all remember the 'Standards'.

Here Keith Langston Presents a 'potted history' of the different British Railways Standard classes, plus the Riddles 'Dub Deed', Providing a welcome reference work for those looking for an up-to-date pictureFor what this book does succinctly is to show both the BD scene and the post-preservation era. Many reference books will give chapter and verse on the BR days and then just inform us weather a locomotive has been preserved or scrapped. For some locomotives there is - fortunately - more of a story to be told. After examining the work of Riddles and the Standard Design Group, a chapter is allocated to each class. In the case of the 'Britannias' and 'Clans', details and at least one photograph of each class member are included. There are a good number of illustrations throughout in black & white and colour with the quality ranging form average to excellent.- Steam Railway Magazine

Kerr, Fred: - Fred Kerr was born in Edinburgh in 1948 where he gained an interest in railway locomotives from both the LMSR and LNER companies whose services permeated the local network. When his parents moved to Corby in 1956 the local steelworks provided further interest from its mix of freight services, including seeing the last of the Beyer Garrets and the replacement Standard Class 9Fs whilst the industrial locomotives of the internal steelworks network offered further insight into the variety of steam locomotives. This was a time of change and during the 1960s the interest in locomotives included the new order of diesel and electric traction without reducing the interest in steam traction. While his interest in Diesel Traction led to his early involvement with the Diesel & Electric Group and its preservation activities during the 1970s, his move to Southport in 1982 restored his opportunities to return to his first love of viewing steam locomotives at work and this album records some of the locations that he chose to visit and the locomotives that he was able to photograph.

Today his interest continues as a life member of the A4 Locomotive Society, Keighley & Worth Valley Railway and Ribble Steam Railway whilst he also support bodies concerned with preserving steam locomotives, diesel locomotives and infrastructure extensions.

SKU	Unavailable
ISBN 13	9781845631468
ISBN 10	1845631463
Title	British Steam- BR Standard Locomotives
Author	Keith Langston
Condition	Unavailable
Binding Type	Hardback
Publisher	Pen & Sword Books Ltd
Year published	2012-07-01
Number of pages	208
Cover note	Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.
Note	Unavailable