Product Description

The 1950s and 1960s were decades of change for London Transport. The start of the era saw the elimination of the final trams, courtesy of Operation Tramaway, and the launch of the iconic Routemaster bus. The end of the 1950s and start of the 1960s saw the withdrawal of the last of London's once extensive trolleybus network and a period of industrial strife as LT sought to reduce services as a result of diminishing traffic. The end of the 1960s witnessed the split between London Transport and London Country, with the latter becoming a subsidiary of the newly-created National Bus Company. On the Underground, the era also was one of change with the expansion of the Central Line to Epping and Ongar, the construction of the Victoria Line, the closure of the Acton Town branch and the modernisation of the Metropolitan Line north of Baker Street. In his latest album featuring London Transport during these pivotal decades, Kevin McCormack provides a colourful reminder of the London Transport operations of the period. Featuring both the surface and Underground, the book commences with the final days of London's tramway system in 1952 and then portrays many of the most important aspects of the changing London Transport scene during the period, such as the demise of the Chesham stock and the withdrawal of the Metropolitan electric locomotives, the introduction of the Routemasters, the withdrawal of the trolleybuses, and much else. The book incorporates over 80 colour illustrations, most of which are unpublished, drawn from the collections of many of the most noted photographers of the London Transport scene over the years. Alongside the photographs, the author's detailed captions bring to life the history of London Transport during the period. Since his first book for Ian Allan Publishing was released more than a decade ago, Kevin McCormack has proved himself to be one of the most successful commentators on the subject, with an unerring ability to source a constant supply of unique and unpublished images. This new collection will further enhance his reputation and will be much sought after by all those countless thousands with an interest in London and its transport.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #439554 in Books
• Published on: 2005-04-01
• Original language: English
• Binding: Hardcover
• 80 pages

About the Author
Kevin McCormack lives in Surrey. Over the past decade he has compiled a number of hugely successful books for Ian Allan Publishing, largely on the subject of London and its transport. These include the three volumes of Heyday of the London Bus and Streets of London. His most recent title covering a London transport theme was London Transport in Exile, which was published in the summer of 2004.

Customer Reviews

GOOD. But Could be Better
I got this book because I was a 'wee lad' during the period covered by the book and stayed at my Grans in Waltham Cross sometimes during school holidays, and my cousin and me would buy a 'London Transport Rover Ticket' and travel all over London on the buses and tube, great fun, (gives me the shakes thinking about how we travelled all over London back then on the 'rover ticket' and I would not let my kids do it now).
So when I saw this book thought great this may cover a lot of the buses and tube travels we did back then, but sadly I felt that the book was a little dissappointing and seeemed to try to cover to much and yet not enough if that makes any sense, I recall the RT buses and going to Onger on the tube.
I wish we had thought of taking a camera back then on our travels, memories oh well.
The book has some nice photo's and info and is a usefull ref to the period covered but could of been better.

Quite good overall
I did enjoy this book but I did not find it to be quite as good as some other books by this author Kevin McCormack & I have five others but I am being a bit picky, because I am always amazed by the quality of the colour photo's in these books given that colour photography was much less common in the 1950s & 1960s than they nowdays.