On casual recollection, the 1970s may be remembered as the decade of British Rail’s corporate blue livery, applied to characterless diesel locomotives. The reality is something quite different!
The decade began with a multitude of different locomotive classes, many still wearing their original green or red liveries. The Western Region saw particular interest as the home of the unique diesel hydraulic classes, which worked the alongside diesel electrics found across the rest of the country.
As the decade progressed, these hydraulics began to give way to other classes, but were superseded on express passenger services by Class 50s cascaded from the London Midland Region. Before the end of the decade, the Western Region was chosen as the launchpad for British Rail’s flagship new High Speed Train, which greatly reduced journey times on the Great Western Main Line.
The Western Region in the 1970s: A Decade of Standardisation is packed with nostalgia from a fascinating decade on the Western Region. The book is divided into several themed chapters, each addressing a particular aspect of the decade:
- Seaside Memories
- Moving The Freight
- Depot Bunking
- Parcels
- Focus On Berkshire
- Going Solo
- The Western In Wales
- Passenger Duties
- Two’s Company
- Tortoise And The Hare
- Out Touring
- Twilight Years
- Rust In Peace
- Resurrection
- London Calling
Each chapter consists of a selection of good quality photographs, mainly in colour, mostly presented in two-per-page format. All the images are accompanied by informative captions, many with anecdotal information relating to the subject. 140 pages. Approximately 300 photographs. Hardback.