After the Second World War, the drive for the modernisation of Britain's railways ushered in a new breed of locomotive: the Diesel. Diesel-powered trains had been around for some time, but faced with a coal crisis and the Clean Air Act in the 1950s, it was seen as a part of the solution for British Rail. This beautifully illustrated book, written by an expert on rail history, charts the rise and decline of Britain's diesel-powered locomotives. It covers a period of great change and experimentation, where the iconic steam engines that had dominated for a century were replaced by a series of modern diesels including the ill-fated 'Westerns' and the more successful 'Deltics'.

"Many of the first generation diesel locomotive designs are now as much a memory as the steam locomotives they were designed to replace and, with the arrival of the Class 66 and Class 67, many of the surviving first-generation diesel classes will also be consigned to history." "This revised edition of British Rail Main Line Diesel Locomotives is the result of many years' research by Colin Marsden, one of Britain's best-known and most highly respected modern traction authors, illustrated by the superb scale drawings by Graham Fenn. There have been a whole host of developments since 1987 when the first edition was published, and the authors have included additional material covering not only the new classes - 66 and 67 but have fully revised the entry for the Class 60 and provided information on the latest Class 47 revision, the Class 57." "With its outline history of every locomotive, selection of fine photographs and 4mm scale drawings, this new edition of a popular classic will be an essential work of reference for railway modellers and modern traction enthusiasts well into the new Millennium."--BOOK JACKET.Title Summary field provided by Blackwell North America, Inc. All Rights Reserved

The British Railways ‘Pilot Scheme’ orders of 1955 included six North British Type 2 diesel-hydraulic locomotives, these being introduced during 1959 for use on the Western Region. Without operational experience, a further fifty-two locomotives were delivered between 1959 and 1962. The fleet survived intact until 1968, when half of the class was withdrawn due to declining traffic levels across the UK, with successive National Traction Plans progressively selecting the less successful, non-standard and ‘numerically-challenged’ classes for removal from traffic. All fifty-eight locomotives were withdrawn by New Years Day, 1972. This book, the second of two, builds on the overview of the class provided in Volume 1, and makes extensive use of available archive material and the personal observations of numerous enthusiasts. Previously unpublished information, covering the performance issues of these locomotives, form a central focus, together with details of fire incidents and accidents. Liveries and detail differences are given in-depth treatment to illustrate that there really were reasons and a logical progression behind the complicated series of design modifications applied to the Class. Volume 2 concludes with sections on storage, withdrawal and final disposal.

'I remember how excited I was when I saw my first diesel. I was waiting for the usual West Country Class to come through Hampden Park when a Class 33 arrived instead. It was the talk of all the trainspotters at the junior school.'Author Mick Hymans' excitement soon turned to resentment as diesels replaced his beloved steam engines. They became rarer and rarer until in 1968 they disappeared altogether. Today the diesel engine enjoys a vast following in its own right. Preserved railways now run 'diesel days', steam-free days, which prove to be some of the most popular events in their calendars. Covering the whole railway system from the north of Scotland and Wales right down to Cornwall, British Rail Diesels presents a wide collection of photographs illustrating a lost world on the nation's railways.

Kenny Barclay documents the diesel locomotives and DMUs in the closing decades of the British Rail era.

After the Second World War, the drive for the modernisation of Britain's railways ushered in a new breed of locomotive: the Diesel. Diesel-powered trains had been around for some time, but faced with a coal crisis and the Clean Air Act in the 1950s, it was seen as a part of the solution for British Rail. This beautifully illustrated book, written by an expert on rail history, charts the rise and decline of Britain's diesel-powered locomotives. It covers a period of great change and experimentation, where the iconic steam engines that had dominated for a century were replaced by a series of modern diesels including the ill-fated 'Westerns' and the more successful 'Deltics'.

The rapid dieselisation of Britain's railways meant that many designs of locomotives were introduced from various manufacturers. Some were highly successful and generated a very enthusiastic following that continues today. British Diesel Locomotives is a superb collection of black-and-white photographs, supported by David's usual meticulously researched and well-written captions, that portrays important locomotive classes. From the Deltics, the Warships, and the Westerns to the Class 50s and 47s and even including the humble but essential multiple units, this book will remind readers of a fascinating evolutionary period for Britain's railways.