"The story of the KB class is more than just that of the locomotives, but the struggle for appropriate motive power on the Midland Line once the Otira tunnel opened. Their evolution came as a result of immense pressure placed upon the Railways Department to find a suitable class of locomotive to succeed against the difficult terrain and ever increasing traffic"--Page 7.

Between the years 1804 and 1815, Napoleon created twenty-six Marshals of France. These men, who held the highest positions in the Empire after Napoleon himself, came from very diverse backgrounds and ranged from a smuggler to a Prince. They acquired titles and great riches but in the end there was only one who was not corrupted by greed or ambition. This book describes their rise and fall.