The history of British Railways in the late 1950s/early 1960s is characterized by change; massive change, as its management attempted to meet statutory obligations against a background of social, economic and political influences. The Modernisation Plan of 1955 paved the way for the electrification of the route from Manchester to London Euston, with a consequential effect of the Midland route services via Derby needing to be enhanced and improved. That eventually resulted in the arrival of class 7 steam motive power and later also benefitted the cross country Midland route. This book details, year by year, the changes that took place and provides an insight into the reasons why decisions were taken, and how the railway management was faced with a vast range of technological, natural, socioeconomic challenges to be overcome, whilst also trying to meet the day-to-day needs of the operational railway.In addition to tracing the history of the routes, the book includes performance logs of typical journeys along difficult sections, recollections of railway men working in various departments and for enthusiasts a list of rare and unusual locomotive workings. The book is profusely illustrated with black and white, as well as color, photographs and also includes a comprehensive range of maps.

Midland was a young farming and ranching community on the southern edge of the Llano Estacado when the real-photo postcard era began near the opening of the 20th century. Businesses, residents, and promoters embraced this new technology to produce images capturing Midland's unusual rural-and-cosmopolitan mix. As postcards changed to linen and chrome, Midland also underwent dramatic changes. The city on the plains worked hard to become an indispensable part of the vast 1920s Permian Basin oil industry. In post-World War II years, Midland grew into an urban center of West Texas, positioned strategically at the midpoint of Interstate 20's path from Fort Worth to El Paso.