A fascinating and lavishly illustrated guide to this iconic Great Western Railway locomotive Manor Class.

This book is a compilation of the author's personal experiences in the sixties and features hundreds of previously unpublished color and black & white photos of BR steam locos. Peter Nicholson sought out BR locos wherever they could be seen – starting from the usual spotters' locations on station platforms, progressing to engine shed visits and railway workshops, then on railtours and haunts away from the national networks such as the Isle of Wight and looking for former main line locos after disposal by BR – in museums, on the first preserved lines, in industrial service, and awaiting their fate in scrapyards. The quest culminated in the last days of scheduled BR steam in August 1968. All photos, black & white and color, were taken in the period up to the final day – 11 August 1968. In the author's case though, that last day was not on the lineside of the Settle & Carlisle with everyone else for the final special (a week after the end of regular scheduled steam services), but in the less-publicised private yard of Coral’s coal merchants, Southampton Docks, where an old London & South Western Railway dock tank was still at work! The subject is strictly ‘main line’ steam locos - those owned or formerly owned by British Railways or its constituent companies, the ‘Big Four (GWR, SR, LMS and LNER) and their predecessors. Surprisingly, perhaps, no other book has looked at BR steam locos in their differing environments as this would do.

China was the last country in the world to build steam locomotives. The final main line engines emerged from Datong workshops in December 1988 and production of steam locomotives for industrial use continued until 1999. The final few steam locomotives were withdrawn from service in 2003, making China the last country to use steam on its main lines. Total eradication of China's steam programme is set to coincide with the Olympic games in 2008. When this happens, it will be the end of the last mecca for fans of real steam. This is a photo essay detailing the end of this era.

A dynamic collection, this mammoth parade of smokey steam action will delight even the most hard-to-please enthusiasts. This book is filled with a wide variety of railroads including the Santa Fe, Atlantic Coast Line, Baltimore & Ohio, Chicago Great Western, Illinois Central, Norfolk & Western, and many more. Collias features a wide range of roads and regions of the country, along with a variety of steam locomotives. In short, everything you've ever loved about steam railroading is in here! Hardbound Edition. Hdbd., 8 1/2" x 11 1/4", 360 pgs., 420 b & w ill., 5 color.