BR Steam in Colour from the Bill Reed Collection - London to Aberdeen
This rare and evocative collection of colour photographs from the 1950s and ’60s was chosen from many hundreds of 35-mm colour slides taken by veteran railway photographer, Bill Reed, on and off the East Coast Main Line between London and Aberdeen. This was a pivotal moment in the history of locomotion; the archetypal steam engine, an emblem of Britain’s national character, was rapidly succumbing to new diesel-powered engineering.
Steam’s fading glory is reflected in the grimy condition of many of the locomotives in this collection – a number were photographed on the scrap line – and the contrast of hulking coal hoppers and water tanks to the comparatively slick new diesels is very apparent. But despite the obvious decline of steam locomotion, the engines within these pages are still redolent of an age of industrial magnificence.
Looking back now, Bill says he wishes he had taken many more pictures of steam locomotives, but thankfully he has taken enough to show us why they will always be cherished in photographs and preserved in museums. Paired with Peter Tuffrey’s impeccably researched captions, this collection of colour photographs is a fine tribute to the last days of steam.
Softback, 128 pages, colour photographs
Condition: Very Good
ISBN: 9781781550670
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