The great era of the steam warship was from the mid-1860s to the mid-1940s--an 80-year period in which a huge variety of large ships was built, ever-greater in size, fire-power, and technical sophistication. Capital ships were the most expensive and destructive weaponry prior to the atomic bomb, and their development can be traced decade by decade. Arranged in chronological order, Warships from the Golden Age of Steam provides concise coverage of the most famous warships of the period, including HMS Devastation, the first seagoing turreted ship; the Chinese Ting Yuen, sunk at the Battle of Wei-Hai-Wei in 1894; Mikasa and Retvizan, which fought each other at the Battle of the Yellow Sea in 1904; HMS Indomitable, Nassau, and HMS Lion, which all fought at the Battle of Jutland in 1916; HMS Prince of Wales, which took part in the hunt for the Bismarck, and was eventually sunk by Japanese air attack off the coast of Malaya in December 1941; and the Tirpitz, which remained a constant threat to Allied shipping in the North Atlantic until it was sunk by aerial bombers in a Norwegian fjord in late 1944. Filled with colorful artworks, expertly-written background text, and useful specifications of 100 warships, Warships from the Golden Age of Steam is a visually lavish guide to major fighting ships from 1860 to 1945.

The thrilling story of the last, and greatest, generation of steam railway locomotives in regular main line service: a story of invention, skill and passion, Giants of Steam reveals how the true advocates of steam's glory days pushed its design and performance to remarkable limits, taking these powerful and beautifully designed machines to new heights against a backdrop of the political upheavals and military conflicts of the mid twentieth century. Glancey tells the stories of the greatest of the 'steam men', the charismatic engineers who designed these machines and put them to use. Giants of Steam also reveals how steam design has continued to progress against the odds in recent decades, while enthusiasm for the steam locomotive itself is far from burning out.

Portrays 125 years of steam engine operations on the railroad.

Over 1500 photographs of locomotives from around the world. A definitive history of locomotive technology from the great steam engines of the 1830s to the electronic speed trains of the present day. Detailed specification boxes given for over 100 key locomotive designs.

Colin Alexander looks at the interwar period, a high-water mark in industrial design as the benefits of streamlining were realised.

The romance with the age of steam and the steam locomotives that revolutionised industry, travel and even holidays in the latter part of the 19th century are featured in this book, from the development of Richard Trevithick’s first working locomotive and Stephenson’s Rocket to the iconic engines of the 20th century. The Great Western Railway (GWR) was a crucial part in the growth of steam, along with the LNER, LMS, Southern and Settle & Carlisle lines. The trains themselves are of course the vital ingredient and some of the classics are highlighted including: Evening Star, Duchess of Hamilton, City of Truro, Flying Scotsman and Mallard. Despite the demise of steam in the 1950s and 1960s, many locomotives have survived thanks to the dedicated volunteers on preservation railways both in the UK and across the globe. Scenic journeys available via steam today are also discovered while captivating pictures provide a backdrop for this interesting story.

Documented with 90 period illustrations, this is the story of the successes, setbacks, and grand experiments of this remarkable technological revolution.