Ron Buckley’s photographs show the changes in locomotive power taking place throughout the London Midland and Scottish Railway in England and its successor, the London Midland Region of British Railways, from the later 1930s to the end of main line steam in 1968. They include the design work of Samuel Johnson Henry Fowler, John Aspinall, George Hughes and Francis Webb, and feature Fowler’s three cylinder ‘Royal Scot’ class, Stenier’s two impressive ‘Princess Royal’ and ‘Princess Coronation’, as well as his ‘Black 5’ and ‘Jubilee’. Much of the goods traffic was still handled by a large number of ageing 0-6-0 tank and tender classes from all of the pre-grouping railways, and heavy goods and mineral traffic were being hauled by ex-LNWR and ex-L&Y 0-8-0 locomotives. Buckley spent most of his career working this region and his evocative photographs recall the glory days of steam. AUTHOR: Brian Dickson worked in printing and publishing for 35 years before retiring in 2000. Since retiring he has become a railway author and volunteer fireman and driver at a heritage railway.
236 illustrations