In the quarter of a century between 1830 and 1855, the railway locomotive developed from the small sisters of Rocketto the broad gauge monsters of Daniel Gooch, with a boiler pressure nearly three times that of Rocketand weighing in at nearly 40 tons (eight times the weight of Rocket). There was a marked increase in loads, speeds and reliability as the railways spread across the country from their cradle in the North West, with several thousands of miles of track being laid. In this book, Anthony Dawson charts the rise and development of the steam locomotive in this crucial period in the development of the railways. Drawing on first-hand accounts, and using case studies based on specific classes of locomotive and their working replicas, he charts the development of the locomotive from Rocket, through the Planet and Patentee classes of Robert Stephenson, Edward Bury's 'coppernobs' and finally Firefly and Iron Duke on Brunel's broad gauge. This is a fascinating and well-illustrated insight into a period of engineering ingenuity and genius.

About the Author
Anthony is an archaeologist and early railway historian who has authored many books for Amberley. He has also written several monographs on the Liverpool & Manchester Railway for Pen & Sword Transport. He is a member of the Railway & Canal Historical Society, the Newcomen Society and is a Director of the Liverpool & Manchester Railway Trust. He is also a member of the International Early Railways Conference committee and the 1722 Waggonway Heritage Group. He has appeared on several TV programmes including Secret History of the Railways and Time Team.


Book Information
ISBN 9781445677613
Author Anthony Dawson
Format Paperback
Page Count 96
Imprint Amberley Publishing
Publisher Amberley Publishing
Weight(grams) 299g