Locomotives of Sir Nigel Gresley
First published in 1945, this book began life as a series of articles by O.S.Nock published in The Railway Magazine from 1941 onwards. Sir Nigel Gresley himself took a personal interest, scrutinising the proof sheets of successive instalments until his death in April of that year. Now, to mark the fiftieth anniversary of the death of the most notable English locomotive engineer of his generation', as Oliver Bulleid says in his foreword to the original edition, and also to mark the return to steam after a major overhaul of the 'A4' Pacific that bears its designer's name, No 4498 Sir Nigel Gresley, this new edition has been prepared.
When it first appeared, O.S. Nock's book contained a complete record of the design and development of all Gresley's locomotives up to that date, but did not include the controversial alterations made to certain notable engines, with conspicuous lack of success, by his successor, Edward Thompson. Neither, of course, was it able to chart the important improvements made to the running and valve motion on the A3 and A4 Pacifics after K.J. Cook was appointed Chief Mechanical Engineer of the Eastern and North Eastern Regions of British Railways. But this new edition allows O.S. Nock to bring the story up to date, and to record that Cook's improvements enabled the Gresley Pacifics to see steam out on the East Coast Main Line with performances as fine as any in their long careers.
And the story does not end there. For many notable Gresley engines have been preserved in working order to achieve yet more remarkable feats at home and abroad, and immortalise the man and his designs for future generations. Flying Scotsman, Mallard and The Great Marquess are just three, but it is Sir Nigel Gresley that holds pride of place here, for part of the proceeds from this new edition have been donated towards the locomotive's recent overhaul. The book has also been substantially re-illustrated from the work of Britain's foremost railway photographers, including W.J.Reynolds, M.W. Earley, P. Ransome Wallis, W.B. Greenfield and Derek Cross.
The Locomotives of Sir Nigel Gresley was O.S. Nock's first book, and he has gone on to become one of Britain's best known and most prolific railway historians and authors, with over 135 books and 1,000 articles to his credit, as well as having been the writer of The Railway Magazine's long-running 'Locomotive Practice and Performance' column for 21 years.
Hardback with dust jacket, 208 pages, black & white photographs
Condition: Very Good
ISBN: 9781852603366
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