By Stephen Marshall, compiled by Roger Geach with Steve and Val Crowther
ISBN 9781917776349 | £29.95 | Hardback | 176 pages | 277 Illustrations | 280 mm x 280 mm dimensions
This book is based on the Diesel Hydraulic photographs taken by the late Stephen C Marshall from Devon and supplemented by some of his friends. While they are mostly of Westerns other Hydraulics are also depicted. This was very much the Rail Blue period. It was Stephen’s wish to start from late 1969 in date order up to the final day of the Westerns terminating with the Western Tribute Railtour February 1977. He also wished to include some preserved pictures as well and we have done this with what we hope are some more unusual preserved scenes. The majority of the pictures have not been published before. Stephen was well known as the former owner of Globe Videos and he produced a number of DVD on the Hydraulics but had not published many of his photographs. He was also well known as a keen follower of locomotive hauled trains and loved to travel the country. As he lived in Devon for many years there is a strong bias on pictures taken in his own County. Many of the locations such as his favourite Newton Abbot have changed beyond recognition in the 50 years or so that many of the pictures were taken. Along with the station changes the rolling stock and Infrastructure has also changed as the years have past. For those that followed the Hydraulics and the Railways of the Western Region should find much to interest them in this publication. Railway modellers should also find much to interest them from that period.