Riding Yorkshire's Final Steam Trains

Riding Yorkshire's Final Steam Trains PDF Author: Keith Widdowson
Publisher: The History Press
ISBN: 0750964162
Category : Transportation
Languages : en
Pages : 206

Book Description
Keith Widdowson visited the North Eastern Region of British Railways on over forty occasions during the final eighteen months of steam powered passenger services. With the odd exceptions (usually for railtours) most of the locomotives were neglected, run down, filthy, prone to failure and often only kept their wheels turning courtesy of the skills of the crew coaxing them along with loving care. Far from the scenic delights so often justifiably portrayed of the Yorkshire countryside, the ever-dwindling numbers became corralled within the industrialized heartland of Bradford, Leeds, Wakefield and Normanton. Here, Widdowson recalls that bygone era, leading an almost nomadic nocturnal existence on his self-imposed "mission" of stalking the endangered "Iron Horses" in one of their final habitats. He was often far from alone in his quest. The "Haulage-bashing" fraternity comprised of like-minded enthusiasts from throughout Britain, often congregated, lemming like, on the one-coach early morning mail trains, the Summer Saturday holidaymaker trains or the Bradford portions; indeed any passenger service with a steam locomotive at its front From the many disappointments of thwarted possibilities to the euphoric joy of unexpected catches, together with over 130 contemporary images, Riding Yorkshire's Final Steam Trains is a compelling snapshot of the race against time at the end of the golden age of steam.

Scottish Steam's Final Fling

Scottish Steam's Final Fling PDF Author: Keith Widdowson
Publisher: The History Press
ISBN: 0750983116
Category : Transportation
Languages : en
Pages : 267

Book Description
In May 1967, Scotland became the third of the six British Railways regions to dispense with the steam locomotive, bringing an iconic era of Britain's transport heritage closer to its demise. Residing over 300 miles away, then teenaged Keith Widdowson's pilgrimages north of the border were marathon undertakings. Abysmal overnight time keeping, missed connections, trains allegedly booked as steam but turning up as diesel – each journey could have been a disaster, but those setbacks were easily forgotten after many successes, such as in catching runs with LNER A2s, A4s, V2s and B1s, as well as BR Clans. Accompanied with brief historical data of routes and stations – many no longer extant – visited, alongside photographs from the author's archives, this book is a collection of reminiscences from the final two years of steam that anyone with a penchant for railways will enjoy.

The Great Western Steam Retreat

The Great Western Steam Retreat PDF Author: Keith Widdowson
Publisher: The History Press
ISBN: 0750999772
Category : Transportation
Languages : en
Pages : 255

Book Description
In mid-1964, Keith Widdowson got wind that the Western Region was hell-bent on being the first to eliminate the steam locomotive on its tracks by December 1965. The 17-year-old hurriedly homed in on train services still in the hands of GWR steam power, aiming to catch runs with the last examples before their premature annihilation. The Great Western Steam Retreat recalls Widdowson's teenage exploits, soundtracked by hits from the Beatles, the Kinks and the Rolling Stones, throughout the Western Region and former Great Western Railway lines. He documents the extreme disorder that resulted from that decision, paying tribute to the train crews who managed to meet demanding timings in the face of declining cleanliness, the poor quality of coal and the major problem of recruiting both footplate and shed staff. This book completes the author's Steam Chase series and provides a snapshot into the comradery that characterised the final years of steam alongside the long-gone journeys that can never be recreated.

Confessions of A Steam-Age Ferroequinologist

Confessions of A Steam-Age Ferroequinologist PDF Author: Keith Widdowson
Publisher: The History Press
ISBN: 0750993456
Category : Transportation
Languages : en
Pages : 287

Book Description
ferroequinologist (noun) Someone who studies the 'Iron Horse' (i.e. trains and locomotives). From the Latin ferrus 'iron' and equine 'horse' + -logist As the British steam era drew to a close, a young Keith Widdowson set out to travel on as many steam-hauled trains as possible – documenting each journey in his notebooks. In Confessions of a Steam Age Ferroequinologist, he cracks these books open and blows off the dust. His self-imposed mission, that of riding behind as many Iron Horses as possible prior to their premature annihilation, led to hours of nocturnal travels, extended periods of inactivity in station waiting rooms, missed connections and fatigue. However, any downsides of his quest were compensated by the camaraderie found amongst a group of like-minded colleagues who congregated on such trains. This is a book that no self-respecting ferroequinologist should be without.

The North Yorkshire Moors Railway

The North Yorkshire Moors Railway PDF Author: Michael A. Vanns
Publisher: Casemate Publishers
ISBN: 1473892104
Category : Transportation
Languages : en
Pages : 186

Book Description
This fantastic guide traces the history of, arguably, the most popular heritage railway in Britain from the origins of the line in the 1830s through the good, bad and controversial times, up to the present day. Every year since 1973, the North Yorkshire Moors Railway (NYMR) has transported hundreds of thousands of visitors in preserved steam and diesel-hauled trains between Pickering and Grosmont through an ancient landscape of unmatched beauty. When those trains started to run regularly to and from Whitby in 2007, it revived a service started by the Whitby & Pickering Railway Company back in 1836. The history of the NYMR is a fascinating one that will do well to be remembered. This book explores the journey, development and changes of the NYMR and is a fantastic guide to how the railway industry has changed over time.

Exploring Britain

Exploring Britain PDF Author: Automobile Association (Great Britain)
Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company
ISBN: 9780393321913
Category : Travel
Languages : en
Pages : 326

Book Description
Explore Britain on foot, by bike, by horse, by balloon, by barge or boat, by car, by train - from coast to coast.
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