The second volume of Michael Rhodes’ illustrated journey around British Rail’s traction maintenance depots and stabling points, recalling an era when 'Shed Bashing’ was a popular pursuit amongst railway enthusiasts. Following on from his first volume covering Northern England, Michael switches his attention to Southern and Central England, having visited many of these fascinating locations between 1974 and 1993.
Armed with his camera and notebook, he captured the inner recesses and outer reaches of these captivating places, recording the traction of the day, which powered the freight and passenger trains of the 1970s, 1980s and early 1990s.
Using extracts from Michael’s detailed records, British Rail Traction Maintenance Depots 1974–1993 reveals the sheer quantity of locomotives that could be seen at depots and stabling points at the time. Plenty of the locations depicted are now long-gone, as are the industries they supported, such as coal mining and steel making. Other locations have survived but they now look very different.
This pictorial collection provides a superb visual and descriptive insight into what was to be found at the national operator’s depots over a two-decade period. 96 pages.