Steam in South Wales Volume 2 - OPC
- Steam in South Wales
- Volume One - The Valleys
- In the fifties, South Wales was full of interest for railway enthusiasts, many of whom were concerned solely with steam locomotives. Indeed, there were approximately 1300 of these employed by British Railways and quite a number in industry, particularly at collieries. Now, British Railways have none and only a handful remain in National Coal Board ownership.
- Prior to Nationalisation of the railway system in 1948, most of the area was served by the gReat Western Railway, with certain branches belonging to the London, Midland and Scottish Railway. Going back even further, before the Grouping of 1923 there wer a dozen or so independent railway companies in South Wales, each with its own locomotives and distinctive livery. Some of those locomotives survived into the fifties and were eagerly sought after by both number-takers and photographers.
- Nevertheless, locomotives are only part of the railway scene, albeit the most popular part. To some observers, station buildings, lineside equipment, track layouts, signals and signal boxes are just fascinating.. Here again, the pre-grouping railways provided a rich variety, which was not quite so well recorded by photographers
- Not only has the steam locomotive gone from everyday life, but in many ares the railway itself vanished. Such is the ever-increasing rate of change taht, in places, buildings and embankments have been swept away or cuttings filled in to make room for housing or industrial estates. Coal, often described as the life-blood of the valleys, is carried to a far less extent following the closure of so many pits.
- 1980, Case bound, 175 black & white plates, 8¾" x 11"
- OPC Main Page
- ISBN-10 0860931129
- ISBN-13 9780860931126
- Pre-Owned, minor dust jacket edge wear
SOLD - Steam in South Wales Volume 1: The Valleys
- Steam in South Wales Volume 2: North and West of Swansea
- Steam in South Wales Volume 3: Main LIne and the Docks
- Steam in South Wales Volume 4: Monmouthshire
- Steam in South Wales Volume 5: East and Mid Glamorgan
- Steam in South Wales Volume 6: The General Scene
- Steam in South Wales Volume: Series Index
- Steam in Mid Wales
- OPC Main Page