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Britain’s Heritage: Express Trains is an historical overview of express trains on Britain’s railways during the age of steam looking at several named express trains, as well as examining the locomotives used. From the Golden Arrow Pullman Service to the Royal Scot and the Flying Scotsman, this book celebrates the most luxurious, the fastest and most famous train services from the age of steam.
The high-speed expresses were the premier trains run by railway companies. Linking the major towns, cities and holiday destinations, they included overnight sleepers, fast mail trains, excursion specials and boat trains connecting with ocean liners. These trains were the fastest and most luxurious of their day. They generated much publicity, especially in the 1930s when they regularly broke speed records. The names of the most famous expresses still resonate with the public today: the ‘Flying Scotsman’, the ‘Royal Scot’, the ‘Cornish Riviera Limited’ and the ‘Atlantic Coast Express’. These and the plush Pullman services showcased the newest and fastest locomotives and the most up-to-date and comfortable rolling stock. The latest technology helped increase express train speeds and reduce travel times, making a journey on an express an experience not to be missed for the well-heeled traveller.
Most of the famous expresses disappeared in the 1970s, with only a few surviving today. Although present day diesel and electric trains now make journeys considerably faster, the overall level of comfort for passengers rarely matches that of their luxurious predecessors.
80 colour and black & white photographs. 64 pages. Published 2017. Original Price £8.99