* Locomotives of Egypt* is a well-illustrated history looking at the steam locomotives developed for use on Egyptian State Railways. The War Department steam locomotives are briefly touched on, and there is a short summary of the diesel and electric locomotives which appeared in the early 1950s. Most steam classes from the 1880s onwards are depicted, along with a good representation of the earlier types (apart from those of the “French period”).
As with many other overseas railways that were British owned, or influenced, the development of Egyptian railways echoed that of British railways – a number of British locomotive engineers being posted out to work in both India and Egypt. The first Egyptian railways originated in 1854 and ran between Alexandria and Cairo, with early locomotives supplied by Robert Stephenson & Co., Sharp Stewart and Beyer Peacock; though Stephenson’s were preferred in the late 19th century.
In 1863, the new ruler, Ismail Pasha, arranged for loans from other countries and the network began to expand. In 1877 the risky financial situation in Egypt resulted in the formation of the Egyptian Railway Administration, which was overseen by Britain, France and Egypt. As a consequence, there was no finance available to buy new engines or new boilers. It was at this time that Frederick Harvey Trevithick, grandson of Richard Trevithick, was posted out to Egypt. Trevithick, who had trained at Swindon, spent his first few years doing the best he could with what was there; in 1887 he was finally able to purchase new standard boilers and rebuilt some of the older locomotives and then in 1888 an order was placed for locomotives he had designed. This was the start of the Trevithick era, which was to last until his retirement in 1912. Chapters then cover his successors and reviews their time in the post of Chief Mechanical Engineer.
Chapters also focus on the liveries of the steam era; certain Egyptian private railways which were absorbed into the Egyptian State Railways; and the locomotives of the diesel and electric era.
Over 90 black & white steam locomotive photographs, plus 22 colour and black & white photographs of diesel and electric locomotives. 80 pages