Böcker av David Mather

For as long as we could remember steam traction had been king on our railways. The resounding beat of exhaust from classic designs by Gresley, Stanier, Collett, Bulleid and many others had thrilled us all, while less prestigious 'work-horses' had kept commuters and freight moving throughout a vast network of major and minor routes. Mighty diesels had replaced them, notably the iconic Class 55 'Deltics', setting new standards for speed and efficiency on the East Coast Main Line.Electrification became the 'buzz-word' as the need for speed increased and drove railway planning to a new level. The West Coast Main Line saw the wires go up by the mid-1970s and though other express routes would eventually follow the stage was set for the development and introduction of an alternative mode of traction for main lines not yet electrified, based on the concept of a powerful diesel locomotive at each end of a rake of newly designed carriages.The High Speed Diesel Train was thus conceived. Sleek and elegant. A modern design for a new age of rail travel. Capable of running at speeds of up to 125mph (201km/h) it was an immediate success and is still giving stalwart service some forty years later. A testament to its resilience.This is the story of the archetypal express diesel train - the Inter City 125.

David Mather has brought together a collection of his images which represents York's railway heritage from its earliest days through to the present and which shows the city to be still justified in claiming the title 'Railway Centre'.

Interesting Selection of Pictures, Useful to Modellers, Informative Captions, New Historical Information.

The KWVR preservation scheme was ideally placed to attract large numbers of visitors eager to witness steam's return to this 5 mile line set in the heart of the Pennines, running as it does on steep gradients from industrial Keighley to the moorland towns of Haworth, home of the Brontes, and nearby Oxenhope.

Explore the Lake District with the Furness Railway Tours

The second Silver Link Silk Edition takes us to the major northern railway city of York. David Mather takes us on a journey through time from the early steam age to the high speed trains of today.