Latest Products

Bradshaw’s Guide: Bradshaw At The Seaside

This Bradshaw's Guide 'Bradshaw At The Seaside' introduced the notion of seaside holidays to the general public and thanks to the railways it became possible for a town or city dweller to catch a train for a day-trip to the coast and still be home in time for supper.

What's inside this Bradshaw Guide 'Bradshaw At The Seaside'

‘Oh! I do like to be beside the seaside,
I do like to be beside the sea!
I do like to stroll upon the Prom, Prom, Prom!
Where the brass bands play:
Tiddely-om-pom-pom!

Bradshaw’s Guide of 1863 was the staple book on what’s what and where’s where for the mid-Victorians and it gives the modern reader a unique insight into the world of the nineteenth-century railway travellers.

Using Bradshaw’s Guide illustrated with contemporary images and seaside postcards, John Christopher and Campbell McCutcheon take us on a tour of Britain’s Victorian resorts.

'Bradshaw’s Guide: Bradshaw At The Seaside' in detail

Authors: Campbell McCutcheon and John Christopher
Publisher: Amberley Publishing 2015
ISBN: 9781445643823
Format: Softback, 96 pages
Size: 234 x 165 mm
Condition: New

Part of the Droids Books Collection

Bradshaw’s Guide 10: West Coast Main Line - Manchester to Glasgow

‘Seldom has the gigantic intellect of man been employed upon a work of greater utility.’ Punch, in praise of Bradshaw’s publications.

What's inside this Bradshaw Guide 'West Coast Main Line - Manchester to Glasgow'

The West Coast Main Line (WCML) – running all the way from London to Glasgow – remains one of the most important railway routes in the UK. It was built by a number of separate companies and by 1863, when Bradshaw published his famous guide, the section from Manchester was operated as far as Carlisle by the London & North Western Railway (LNWR), and from Carlisle onwards into Scotland by the Caledonian Railway.

This guide covers that final section of the WCML, including the important locations encountered along the way. In the 1930s the London Midland & Scottish (LMS) captured briefly the world speed record for a steam locomotive on this line.

Bradshaw’s guide was published in 1863, not that long after most of the railway network had been completed. It gives the reader a unique insight into the world of the Victorian railways and goes beyond the engineering aspects to record the sights to be seen in the towns and cities encountered along the way. This is volume 10 in the Bradshaw’s Guide series.

'Bradshaw’s Guide 10: West Coast Main Line - Manchester to Glasgow' in detail

Authors: Campbell McCutcheon and John Christopher
Publisher: Amberley Publishing 2014
ISBN: 9781445640419
Format: Softback, 96 pages
Size: 234 x 165 mm
Condition: New

Part of the Droids Books Collection

Great Western Railway - Cheltenham Flyer (Signed copy)

A A new railway book for boys of all ages

The story of the most famous express train in the world. Hauled by the GWR's powerful Castle Class the Cheltenham Flyer established new records for a scheduled service, covering the Swindon to Paddington run at a blistering average speed of 81.6 mph.

What's inside this signed copy of 'Great Western Railway - Cheltenham Flyer'

Originally published by the GWR in 1934 this book not only celebrates the Flyer's iconic status but also explores the workings of a steam locomotive and the day-to-day practicalities of running the railway. More than just a nostalgic railway book for 'boys of all ages', GWR Cheltenham Flyer is packed with the sort of fascinating detail not found elsewhere and is faithfully reproduced in its entirety in this special facsimile edition.

Illustrated with over 200 photographs and diagrams, it includes a new introduction plus supplement section to bring the topics bang up to date.

GWR Cheltenham Flyer is the companion volume to GWR Track Topics.

'Great Western Railway - Cheltenham Flyer' in detail

Editor: John Christopher (signed)
Publisher: Amberley Publishing 2013
ISBN: 9781445634814
Format: Softback, 256 pages
Size: 198 x 124 mm
Condition: New

Part of the Droids Books Collection

Great Western Railway - Track Topics (Signed copy)

A book of railway engineering for boys of all ages

'The most interesting of all the GWR books ...Track Topics is packed with precious nuggets of useful and insightful information, much of it from a time when the railway was making the difficult transition from its Victorian origins to the fast-changing needs of the twentieth century.’

What's inside this signed copy of 'Great Western Railway - Track Topics'

Originally published in 1935 - the year of the GWR's centenary - Track Topics is the ultimate railway book for 'boys of all ages'. Packed with the sort of fascinating detail covering the building and maintenance of the railway not found elsewhere, it is faithfully reproduced in its entirety in this special facsimile edition.

Illustrated with over 200 photographs and diagrams, it includes a new introduction by Brunel expert John Christopher plus a supplement section to bring the topics bang up to date.

Fully illustrated, it is the companion volume to GWR Cheltenham Flyer.

'Great Western Railway - Track Topics'' in detail

Editor: John Christopher (signed)
Publisher: Amberley Publishing 2013
ISBN: 9781445623108
Format: Softback, 288 pages
Size: 198 x 124 mm
Condition: New

Part of the Droids Books Collection

Railways of the Isle of Wight - 150th Anniversary (1864-2014)

'There is probably no place in the British Isles that could offer a more attractive study to one interested in railway working on a small scale than the Isle of Wight'. P. C. Allen, 1928

What's inside 'Railways of the Isle of Wight - 150th Anniversary'

At its height the Island had a network of 551 miles of line operated by a number of independent companies including the Isle of Wight Railway, the Isle of Wight Central Railway (IWCR), the Freshwater, Yarmouth & Newport Railway, as well as the joint lines of the London & South Western Railway (L&SWR) and the London, Brighton & South Coast Railway (LBSCR).

With the 1923 grouping of Britain’s railways these were amalgamated under the control of the Southern Railway, and following nationalisation most would be axed by Dr Beeching. Two have survived. The Isle of Wight Railway, a heritage line, and the Island Line operating with ex-London Underground stock.

P. C. Allen's 1928 account, re-published to mark the 150th anniversary, is brought up to date with many new photographs.

'Railways of the Isle of Wight - 150th Anniversary 1864-2014' in detail

Author: P. C. Allen
Publisher: Amberley Publishing 2014
ISBN: 9781445637846
Format: Softback, 96 pages
Size: 234 x 165 mm
Condition: New

Part of the Droids Books Collection

The First World War in Photographs 1916 - A War of Attrition - Signed copy

The third year of the Great War was to see the introduction of conscription for the first time in Britain to feed the insatiable demand for men at the Front. It was just as well, as the spring saw the launch of the German offensive at Verdun and the British counter-attack, but neither side achieved any significant gains.

What's inside 'The First World War in Photographs 1916 - A War of Attrition'

On 1 July the Allies experienced the bloodiest day of the war at the start of the Somme campaign with some 60,000 men killed in a single day. The British Mark 1 tank also made its combat debut at the Somme, heralding a new era of mechanised warfare. 1916 was also the year of the Battle of Jutland, which was the greatest naval encounter of the war but resulted in an inconclusive outcome with both sides losing many ships.

Shortly afterwards Lord Kitchener died when HMS Hampshire hit a mine. Kitchener had become the iconic figure of the First World War, appearing on countless recruiting posters. On the Eastern Front the Russian forces pushed forward to draw the Germans into pulling their troops away from the Western Front.

John Christopher and Campbell McCutcheon tell the story of 1916 at war using many rare and often unpublished images, showing the full horror of the conflict, as well as its impact on the everyday person. 1916 is the third volume in this year-by-year series documenting those times.

'The First World War in Photographs 1916 - A War of Attrition' in detail

Author: John Christopher and Campbell McCutcheon
Publisher: Amberley Publishing 2014
ISBN: 9781445622088
Format: Softback, 176 pages
Size: 234 x 165 mm
Condition: New

Part of the Droids Books Collection

The First World War in Photographs 1914 - Over by Christmas

The first year of the 'war to end all wars', documented through old photographs. In 1914, after more than a decade of sabre-rattling, arms races and localised wars, mainland Europe erupted into the greatest war man had ever seen.

What's inside 'The First World War in Photographs 1914 - Over by Christmas'

The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand saw the beginning of a conflict that was, according to some, going to be over by Christmas but which, in reality, lasted over five years.

With battles on all fronts, from Russia to the Falklands, West Africa to China and the Middle East, at sea, on land and by the fledgling air forces of the world, 1914's war culminated in the famous football match on the Western Front on Christmas Day, but also saw the invasion of neutral Belgium, the Battle of the Marne and the sinking of the Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse.

This collection of photographs and other images tell the story of the world at war in a graphic and telling way. The First World War changed the art of war forever; 1914 is the first year-by-year volume in this series that documents the horrors of those times.

'The First World War in Photographs 1914 - Over by Christmas' in detail

Author: John Christopher and Campbell McCutcheon
Publisher: Amberley Publishing 2012
ISBN: 9781445621814
Format: Softback, 176 pages
Size: 234 x 165 mm
Condition: New

Part of the Droids Books Collection

Victoria Station Through Time - Signed copy

This is the second volume in the Through Time series telling the story of London's famous railway termini. Every year 115 million people pass through Victoria, making it London's second busiest station after Waterloo.

What's inside 'Victoria Station Through Time'

Victoria Station is not one station, but was actually in two parts; one built for the London, Brighton & South Coast railway, the other for the London, Chatham & Dover Railway, with the first of these halves opening in October 1860, and the other following in August 1862.

As such, its architecture and design has always been a mating of two distinctive styles, each with its own booking office, stationmaster, platform numbering and timetable. The original LBSCR station was plain, with a simple iron girder roof, while the LCDR station had a wide canopy roof. Various rebuildings see us with the station of today.

The amalgamation of various lines operating into the South East and Southern England into the Southern Railway, saw the stations finally being joined as one. Victoria has been the gateway to the continent, with boat trains running to various ports in the South Coast and is also a major underground station on the Victoria, District and Circle Lines.

This volume is part of the fully-illustrated Through Time series on London's major railway termini. Others include Waterloo Station, St Pancras, Euston, King’s Cross and Paddington.

'Victoria Station Through Time' in detail

Author: John Christopher (signed)
Publisher: Amberley Publishing 2011
ISBN: 9781445602493
Format: Softback, 96 pages
Size: 234 x 165 mm
Condition: New

Part of the Droids Books Collection

Locomotives of the Highland Railway

Formed from the merger of the Inverness & Aberdeen Junction and the Inverness & Perth Junction Railways in 1865, the Highland Railway ran from Perth in Central Scotland north to Inverness and then on up to Wick and Thurso.

From Dingwall it ran west to Kyle of Lochalsh to serve Skye and the Western Isles. Another line ran east from Inverness to Keith, where it connected with the line to Aberdeen. Several branches were built to serve nearby towns.

What's inside 'Britain’s Pre-grouping Railways: Locomotives of the Highland Railway'

In addition to inheriting several locomotives from its constituent companies, the Highland Railway was renowned for its distinctive stable of locomotives.

Many of these were built at the company's works at Lochgorm, Inverness. Locomotive superintendents for the HR were William Barclay, William Stroudley, David Jones, Peter Drummond, F. G. Smith and Christopher Cumming.

Jones and Cumming in particular produced some outstanding designs such as the F 'Bruce', Strath, Jones Goods, the Small and Large Ben (mountain), the K 'Barney' classes, not to mention the Snaigows and the Clans. They included not only the large named trains for passenger services, but also the humble shunters.

Fully illustrated, this fascinating archive of the Highland Railway's locomotives features over 150 photographs and images.

'Locomotives of the Highland Railway' in detail

Author: John Christopher and Campbell McCutcheon
Publisher: Amberley Publishing 2014
ISBN: 9781445633619
Format: Softback, 96 pages
Size: 234 x 165 mm
Condition: New

Part of the Droids Books Collection

Bradshaw on Brunel’s Railways - The Minor Lines (Signed copy)

In addition to his high-profile railway lines, Isambard Kingdom Brunel was engineer to a number of minor and branch lines including those from Slough to Windsor, Didcot to Oxford and from there via the Oxford, Worcester & Wolverhampton Railway - the OWW which was generally known as the 'Old Worse & Worse' - across to Moreton, Evesham, Pershore and up through Worcester to Wolverhampton, the Gloucester to Cheltenham line, as well as the railways to Ross and Hereford, plus additional lines in Wiltshire, Somerset and South Wales.

What's inside this guide 'Bradshaw on Brunel’s Railways - The Minor Lines'

'Seldom has the gigantic intellect of man been employed upon a work of greater utility.' Punch, in praise of Bradshaw's guide which was published in 1863, very shortly after these lines had been completed

It gives the reader a unique insight into the world of the Victorian railways and goes beyond the engineering aspects to record the sights to be seen in the towns and cities encountered along the way.

Brunel expert John Christopher presents Bradshaw's original text accompanied by contemporary images and many new colour photographs of the same journey today.

This is the third volume in this Bradshaw’s Guides series. Also available here are 'Bradshaw on Brunel’s Railways - Paddington to Penzance' and 'Bradshaw on Brunel’s Railways - Swindon to South Wales'.

'Bradshaw's Guide: Brunel’s Railways - The Minor Lines' in detail

Author: John Christopher (signed)
Publisher: Amberley Publishing 2014
ISBN: 9781445621784
Format: Softback, 96 pages
Size: 234 x 165 mm
Condition: New

Part of the Droids Books Collection

Bradshaw on Brunel’s Railways - Paddington to Penzance (Signed copy)

Isambard Kingdom Brunel and Bradshaw were close contemporaries. One became Britain's most celebrated engineer, driving his iron rails across the country from London to the tip of Cornwall, while the other brought the experience of rail travel to the masses through his timetables and guide books.

What's inside this guide 'Bradshaw on Brunel’s Railways - Paddington to Penzance'

Although the Great Western Railway (GWR) had opened in 1840, the through journey to Penzance had only become possible with the completion of the Royal Albert Bridge over the Tamar at Saltash in 1859, the year of Brunel's death.

Bradshaw's guide was published very shortly after the line opened and it gives the reader a unique insight into the new world of the Victorian railways and goes beyond the engineering aspects of the line to record the sights to be seen in the towns and cities encountered along the route.

Brunel expert John Christopher presents Bradshaw's original account as a continuous journey from Paddington to Penzance. The text is accompanied by contemporary images as well as many new colour photographs of the same journey today.

This is the first volume in this Bradshaw’s Guides series. Also available here 'Bradshaw on Brunel’s Railways - Swindon to South Wales' and 'Bradshaw on Brunel’s Railways - The Minor Lines'.

'Bradshaw's Guide: Brunel’s Railways - Paddington to Penzance' in detail

Author: John Christopher (signed)
Publisher: Amberley Publishing 2013
ISBN: 9781445621593
Format: Softback, 96 pages
Size: 234 x 165 mm
Condition: New

Part of the Droids Books Collection

Bradshaw on Brunel’s Railways - Swindon to South Wales (Signed copy)

Isambard Kingdom Brunel and Bradshaw were close contemporaries. One became Britain's most celebrated engineer, driving his iron rails across the country, while the other brought the experience of rail travel to the masses through his timetables and guide books.

What's inside this Bradshaw Guide 'Brunel’s Railways - Swindon to South Wales'

Although the Great Western Railway (GWR) mainline from London to Bristol had opened in 1840, the through journey across southern Wales to Neyland in Pembrokeshire - where Brunel planned to connect with his transatlantic steamships - only become possible after the opening of the Chepstow Bridge over the Wye and the completion of the line just a few years before Brunel's death.

Bradshaw's Guides were invaluable in their time and they provide the modern-day reader with a fascinating insight into the nineteenth century rail traveller's experience.

Brought to the public’s attention by Michael Portillo’s TV programmes, Bradshaw's guides provide a unique insight into the new world of the Victorian railways and goes beyond the engineering aspects of the line to record the sights in the towns and cities encountered along the route.

Acknowledged Brunel expert John Christopher presents Bradshaw's original account as a journey from Swindon up to Gloucester and across South Wales. Branch lines to Cheltenham, Ross, Hereford, Neath and Merthyr are included. The text is annotated and accompanied by contemporary images as well as many new colour photographs of the same journey today.

This is the second volume in this series. Also available here is 'Bradshaw on Brunel’s Railways - Paddington to Penzance' and 'Bradshaw on Brunel’s Railways - The Minor Lines'.

'Brunel’s Railways - Swindon to South Wales' in detail

Author: John Christopher (signed)
Publisher: Amberley Publishing 2014
ISBN: 9781445621777
Format: Softback, 96 pages
Size: 234 x 165 mm
Condition: New

Part of the Droids Books Collection

Thomas Telford Through Time

Before the emergence of the steam railway rocketed the Victorian engineers Isambard Kingdom Brunel and Robert Stephenson into the limelight, there was a ‘Colossus’ who already dominated the engineering scene and had laid the foundations for what was to follow.

What's inside 'Thomas Telford Through Time'

Thomas Telford built a series of ambitious road and canal projects, many notable bridges including his ground-breaking suspension bridge over the Menai Straits, plus many notable harbour works and buildings.

Contrasting old and new images, John Christopher examines Telford’s principal works to highlight his diverse, but often overshadowed, achievements. These include not only the Menai bridge, of course, but also his other masonry and iron bridges, as well as the Ellesmere Canal with its aqueducts at Pontcysyllte and Chirk, the Caledonian Canal slicing through Scotland’s Great Glen, and the A5 road running between London and Holyhead.

'Thomas Telford Through Time' in detail

Author: John Christopher (signed)
Publisher: Amberley Publishing 2016
ISBN: 9781445657813
Format: Softback, 96 pages
Size: 234 x 165 mm
Condition: New

Part of the Droids Books Collection

The London Of Sherlock Holmes - Signed copy

"Look out of this window, Watson. See how the figures loom up, are dimly seen, and then blend once more into the cloud-bank. The thief or murderer could roam London on such a day as the tiger does the jungle, unseen until he pounces…"

What's inside 'The London Of Sherlock Holmes'

Arthur Conan Doyle penned 56 short stories and four novels featuring the detective and his faithful assistant, Dr Watson, mostly set in and around London. From 1887 until 1927, each new story captivated readers. Within the stories, over 250 London landmarks and streets are mentioned and John Christopher has brought together archived and more recent images of the most famous of Holmes's London haunts.

Discovering the London of Sherlock Holmes gives the reader an insight into the London of the master detective, with guides to the locations which feature in the stories.

From Scotland Yard to Paddington Station, from Victoria to the Embankment, from the Houses of Parliament to Holmes' own residence in 221B Baker Street, this illustrated guide brings Holmes into the modern day and makes it easy for the fan to guide themselves around the venues from the stories.

'The London Of Sherlock Holmes' in detail

Author: John Christopher (signed)
Publisher: Amberley Publishing 2012
ISBN: 9781445603544
Format: Softback, 96 pages
Size: 234 x 165 mm
Condition: New

Part of the Droids Books Collection

British Posters Of The First World War - Signed copy

“Iconic and memorable... beautifully crafted.” (Britain at War magazine)

During the First World War the authorities emulated the simple slogans and strong graphic imagery of advertising posters to create a form of mass communication that was easily and instantly understood by the British public, in particular the mostly illiterate working class who did more than their share to feed the machinery of war.

'British Posters Of WWI', this is what's inside

For the most part the posters were calls to action, starting with the initial period of voluntary enlistment and leading on to conscription. Psychologically they worked on several levels, appealing to a sense of duty or tapping into feelings of guilt. Patriotic fervour was heightened by the appearance of the Union Jack, the King and, most enduringly perhaps, the iconic image of Lord Kitchener.

In addition, propaganda posters heaped on the pressure with scenes of German atrocities, such as the sinking of the Lusitania and the spectre of Zeppelin raiders over England. Those not directly involved in the fighting were also urged to do their part; women in particular either by sending their men to the front or by working in the munitions factories or on the land.

Even children had a part to play – ‘Daddy, what did YOU do in the Great War?’ Money for the war effort is another recurring theme, with war savings and bonds, and countless charities appealing for funds to care for the wounded and the war orphans.

'British Posters Of The First World War' is fully illustrated throughout

Author: John Christopher (signed)
Publisher: Amberley Publishing 2015
ISBN: 9781445655260
Format: Softback, 192 pages
Size: 248 x 172 mm
Condition: New

Part of the Droids Books Collection

Organisation Todt - From Autobahns to the Atlantic Wall - Signed copy

Based on a confidential wartime report, issued by the British Government in March 1945, this in-depth dossier details the inner workings of Organisation Todt, which not only built the Reichsautobahns, but also Germany's Siegfried Line and the Atlantic Wall. Founded by the charismatic Fritz Todt, the OT was responsible for the construction of all of the major military works across Europe - from the Siegfried Line and Atlantic Wall, to the U-Boat pens and V1 and V2 weapon sites.

What to expect from 'Building the Third Reich - Organisation Todt'

When Fritz Todt died in a flying accident in 1942 he was succeeded by Hitler's chief architect, Albert Speer, who was also appointed as Reich Minister of Armaments and War Production. Although the Organisation Todt was not a military organization as such, it literally underpinned the Nazis' stranglehold on the occupied territories.

Not just through the fortifications but also through the systematic and highly controversial use of enforced labour drawn from the populations of the vanquished countries. At its peak the Organisation Todt consisted of a force of almost two million men and women, and it is through the depth of detail revealed in this handbook that we discover the largely untold human story.

'Organisation Todt - From Autobahns to the Atlantic Wall' in detail

Editor: John Christopher (signed)
Publisher: Amberley Publishing 2015
ISBN: 9781445638560
Format: Softback, 278 pages
Size: 248 x 172 mm
Condition: New

Part of the Droids Books Collection

The Bradshaw’s Guide 7: The Railways of Wales - Signed copy

The popular Bradshaw’s Guide of 1863 offers a unique insight into the world of the nineteenth-century railway traveller. Built primarily to serve industry and the mail packets to Ireland, the railways of Wales would go on to open up the Principality to tourism for the first time. They also brought communities closer together and many journeys that once took days to complete could now be undertaken in hours. 

What's inside this Bradshaw Guide 'The Railways of Wales'

This illustrated guide records the sights to be seen in the towns and cities encountered along the various routes. John Christopher and Campbell McCutcheon take us on Brunel’s broad gauge lines in South Wales, before joining the central and northern railways, using contemporary Victorian and Edwardian photographs and postcards to illustrate the scenes that readers of Bradshaw’s Guide would have experienced.

This volume covers the South Wales Railway, the GWR, the Cambrian lines and the Chester & Holyhead Railway as well as many branch lines.

'Bradshaw’s Guide 7: The Railways of Wales' in detail

Authors: John Christopher (signed) and Campbell McCutcheon
Publisher: Amberley Publishing 2015
ISBN: 9781445638515
Format: Softback, 96 pages
Size: 234 x 165 mm
Condition: New

Part of the Droids Books Collection

The London & Blackwall Railway - Signed copy

Docklands First Railway Originally known as the Commercial Railway, the London & Blackwall was one of London's earliest and most distinctive lines. Stretching eastwards along a string of viaducts, it went from the City to Blackwall on the Thames.

What's inside the book 'The London & Blackwall Railway - Docklands First Railway'

It was worked by a rope haulage system initially, rather than conventional locomotives, and was built to a non-standard gauge of about 5 feet (all the more surprising given the involvement of the engineer Robert Stephenson).

The railway served a mixed clientele, with dock workers and seamen rubbing shoulders with day-trippers and travellers connecting with vessels moored at Blackwall. Later extensions took the rails into the Isle of Dogs and, via Bow, to the east and northeast of London.

Leased by the Great Eastern Railway in 1866, it was later absorbed by the LNER until passenger services ceased in 1926. Final closure of the railway in 1968 was not the end of the line however, for the arrival of the Docklands Light Railway saw much of the route brought back into regular use.

'The London & Blackwall Railway - Docklands First Railway' in detail

Author: John Christopher (signed)
Publisher: Amberley Publishing 2013
ISBN: 9781445621722
Format: Softback, 96 pages
Size: 234 x 165 mm
Condition: New

Part of the Droids Books Collection

The Lost Works of Isambard Kingdom Brunel - Signed copy

IKB is rightly famous for the great engineering wonders that have survived - from the SS Great Britain to the delights of Paddington and Temple Meads stations - but it may be surprising to learn that much of what he designed has been destroyed or lost.

What to expect from the 'The Lost Works of Isambard Kingdom Brunel'

From the ships, the Great Western and Great Eastern, to the majestic water towers of Crystal Palace, the Hungerford Bridge over the Thames to the South Devon atmospheric railway, many of Brunel's achievements have been lost to rebuilding, fire, neglect and scrapping.

John Christopher, acknowledged Brunel expert and the author takes us on a tour of the lost works of Brunel. By tracing what remains or by telling the story of the treasures lost to us, he demonstrates just why Brunel can truly be crowned as Britain's most famous engineer.

'Land Rover Series I, II, III & Defender' in detail

Author: John Christopher (signed)
Publisher: Amberley Publishing 2011
ISBN: 9781445600901
Format: Softback, 128 pages
Size: 235 x 165 mm
Condition: New

Part of the Droids Books Collection

Waterloo Station Through Time - Signed

The first Waterloo Station opened in 1848 and was originally owned by the London & South Western Railway and originally known as Waterloo Bridge Station. John Christopher tells the story of Waterloo from its early beginnings, when the LSWR extended its route from Nine Elms, to the present day. 

What's inside 'Waterloo Station Through Time'

The current building was completed in 1922 following a huge rebuilding programme started in 1899. Catering for suburban traffic, Waterloo is also the major station for trains to Southampton, Portsmouth and Bournemouth and once served the famous boat trains. Close by was the London Necropolis Railway station, which took coffins to Brookwood Cemetery.

Eurostar trains and Waterloo Station

For a time, the station was the base for Eurostar trains and a new Crossrail project may see Waterloo connected with Euston. This fascinating selection of photographs traces some of the many ways in which Waterloo Station has changed and developed over the years. It is now Britain's busiest and largest station.

Other London railway stations in this 'Through Time' series include Paddington Station, Victoria Station, King's Cross Station and Euston Station.

'Waterloo Station Through Time' in detail

Author: John Christopher (signed)
Publisher: Amberley Publishing 2015
ISBN: 9781445650852
Format: Softback 96 pages
Size: 235 x 165 mm
Condition: New

Part of the Droids Books Collection

Kings Cross Station Through Time - Signed

King's Cross station, the terminus of the Great Northern Railway, opened in 1852. Designed by Lewis Cubitt, it replaced a temporary station at Maiden Lane and quickly established itself as the London terminus of what became known as the East Coast Main Line to Edinburgh.

The story 'King's Cross Station Through Time' is telling

Every weekday from 1862 onwards, the Flying Scotsman left King's Cross 10.00 a.m. for the north, initially taking over ten hours to complete the journey.

Some of Britain's most famous locomotives, from the Ivatt Atlantics to the A3 and A4 Pacifics, Deltics and HSTs, have sped north from King's Cross.

The underground station below the main line station encompasses six lines and was the scene of the disastrous King's Cross fire in 1987, following which it was rebuilt.

King's Cross has been redeveloped many times over the years, and the 9 3/4 fictional platform was made famous in the Harry Potter novels. Recent construction work has seen the refurbishment of the station itself and a major redevelopment of the surrounding area.

Other London railway stations in this 'Through Time' series include Paddington Station, Victoria Station, Waterloo Station and Euston Station.

'King's Cross Station Through Time' in detail

Author: John Christopher (signed)
Publisher: Amberley Publishing 2012
ISBN: 9781445605302
Format: Softback 96 pages
Size: 235 x 165 mm
Condition: New

Part of the Droids Books Collection

Euston Station Through Time - Signed

Euston is one of London's busiest stations. Built as the London terminus of the London & Birmingham Railway in July 1837, Euston was London's first intercity railway station.

What's inside 'Euston Station Through Time'

Originally designed by Philip Hardwick, the station entrance was through the world's largest Doric propylaeum, which became known as the Euston Arch. In the 1840s the station was expanded greatly and by 1923 express trains left Euston regularly for Wales, Scotland and the major cities of England, including Birmingham, Manchester and Liverpool.

In the early 1960s the original station was demolished, to a huge outcry, and a new modernist structure replaced it. Join John Christopher on a journey through time, telling the story of Euston from 1837 to the present day area.

Other London railway stations in this 'Through Time' series include Paddington Station, Victoria Station, Waterloo Station and Kings Cross Station.

'Euston Station Through Time' in detail

Author: John Christopher (signed)
Publisher: Amberley Publishing 2012
ISBN: 9781445605296
Format: Softback 96 pages
Size: 235 x 165 mm
Condition: New

Part of the Droids Books Collection

Isambard Kingdom Brunel Through Time - Signed

IKB was Britain's greatest engineer. He was the man who built everything on a huge scale including Britain's biggest ship, some spectacular bridges, a tunnel under the Thames and the magnificent Great Western Railway from London to Bristol.

What's inside 'Isambard Kingdom Brunel Through Time'

Brunel left an unsurpassed legacy of industrial architecture and design, from the vaulted roof of Paddington station to the iron-hulled SS Great Britain, from the Clifton Suspension Bridge to the Tamar Bridge (which bears his name on its approaches).

His life was one of superlatives; bigger, wider, taller and faster. As the historian Dan Cruikshank put it, Brunel was quite simply 'a one-man Industrial Revolution'.

Here, John Christopher tells the story of the man and his tunnels, bridges, railways, ships and buildings, with many new illustrations accompanying the old, showing the changes time has made to Brunel's greatest legacy - the things he designed and built that we still take for granted and use every day, over a century and a half since his death.

Isambard Kingdom Brunel Through Time - the details

Author: John Christopher (signed)
Publisher: Amberley Publishing 2010
ISBN: 9781848689633
Format: Softback 96 pages
Size: 235 x 165 mm
Condition: New

Part of the Droids Books Collection

Brunel in London - Signed

Brunel and London might not seem an obvious association, but John Christopher puts the case that it was London, not Bristol, that was the most important centre of Brunel's activities.

Making the case for Brunel in London

It was here that he lived, worked and died. London is dotted with examples of his works, some obvious and some less so, from the subaquatic Thames Tunnel between Wapping to Rotherhithe where he cut his engineering teeth and was almost killed in a sudden deluge, to the Hungerford suspension bridge between Charing Cross and the South Bank - mostly forgotten but parts of it still exist - the two stations at Paddington serving the Great Western Railway main line running to the west and, of course, his final steamship, the vast Great Eastern built at Millwall, which marked the end of his career and his life.

Less familiar are Brunel's connections with the Crystal Palace, designed by Joseph Paxton for the Great Exhibition of 1851, and the two towers he built when it was relocated to Sydenham in south London.

John Christopher, an acknowledged expert on Brunel, takes us on a tour of London, examining the relationship between city and engineer.

This is one in a series of books about rediscovering Brunel’s works in your area. See also Brunel in Gloucestershire, Brunel in Cornwall, and Brunel in Bristol.

Brunel in London - the details

Author: John Christopher (signed)
Publisher: Amberley Publishing 2014
ISBN: 9781445618555
Format: Softback 96 pages
Size: 235 x 165 mm
Condition: New

Part of the Droids Books Collection