Paul Shannon Book order

The book explores the significant transformation of the British railway freight system over the past 60 years, detailing the decline of traditional wagonload traffic and the rise of specialized heavy trainload operations. It contrasts the once-common goods yards at passenger stations with today's streamlined terminals catering to bulk cargoes like aggregates and containers. Additionally, it highlights the evolution of traction and rolling stock, from steam-powered trains to modern heavy freight operations, showcasing the railway's adaptation in a competitive transport landscape.

Illustrated with over 160 carefully chosen photographs, many of which are previously unpublished, this volume looks at the changing face of rail freight across the Midlands. It details the changes in traction, rolling stock and railway infrastructure over four decades.

Covers branch lines that survived against the odds.

Illustrated with over 160 photographs, many of which are previously unpublished, this volume looks at the changing face of rail freight in Scotland. It details the changes in traction, rolling stock and railway infrastructure over four decades.

Offers a survey in superb photographs of the rail freight scene in Britain over the last two decades.

Illustrated with over 160 photographs, this book looks at Yorkshire and the North East s varied freight scene over the last 40 years.

From the intricate china clay operations in Cornwall to the major limestone quarries of the Mendips, rail freight has maintained a vibrant presence across the counties of South West England. However, the changes in traffic patterns and day-to-day operations have been substantial. In the early 1980s, china clay was still carried in elderly wooden-bodied wagons from about a dozen loading points, with much shunting and short-distance trip working. Gradually, the operation has been modernized and streamlined, although even the latest generation of rolling stock is now over 30 years old. The Mendip quarries have a different story to tell, as here the railway has fully exploited its natural strength by moving ever-greater quantities of stone to terminals across southern England. Meanwhile, many small-scale freight flows have disappeared as the railway has moved to full trainload operation. Illustrated with over 160 carefully chosen photographs, many of which are previously unpublished, this volume looks at the changing face of rail freight in South West England. It details the changes in traction, rolling stock and railway infrastructure over four decades.

The changes to rail freight in Wales and the Borders since the 1980s have been dramatic in many ways and have often been a knock-on effect of huge transformations in the industries that the railway serves, most notably, the coal-mining sector. Illustrated with over 150 photos, this volume looks at the changing face of rail freight.