Classic Modern Traction in Action - Hardcover

Ranieri, Malcolm

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0857041177 ISBN 13: 9780857041173

Publisher: Halsgrove, 2011

Synopsis

Although many still hanker for the days of steam, the
classic diesel and electric locomotives of the 1950s
through to the 1980s today evoke a similar nostalgia. In
their day, these powerful representatives of the `modern
age', thundering through the British countryside,
presented a striking and often very attractive contrast
between the timelessness of the landscape and the
brilliance of the contemporary engineering.
The principal purpose of this book on classic modern
traction, by acclaimed photographer Malcolm Ranieri, is
to illustrate and document the classes of locomotive
which have already gone (or are fast disappearing) from
our rail network. Soon locomotives like the 37s and 47s,
and 86s and 90s on electrified lines, which dominated
passenger and freight services for four decades,will only
be seen in action on preserved lines or static in
museums. It not a catalogue of all the classes of
locomotive which have disappeared over the past thirty
years or so, but an in-depth look, using photographs of
the locomotives in action, at the changing face of the
railways of Britain over that period. Malcolm Ranieri
does not just portray the locomotive in action but places
it in its natural environment, in effect the train in the
landscape. Our British landscape is rich and varied, and
provides many different backdrops from the rural, the
rugged, the industrial and the urban, through which the
trains run. Malcolm Ranieri also highlights some of the
significant changes in the lineside picture over the last
few years. For example, railway signalling is now largely
by electric light,whereas the more photogenic signal box
and manually-operated signals are quickly disappearing.
Stations have been rebuilt and the attractive rural halt
is no more, replaced by structures akin to bus shelters.
Safety considerations have also meant that modern
fencing has not enhanced many locations and lineside
vegetation has also increased.
With more than 150 historic and choice images, and
with informative captions (which in many cases explain
the techniques used to take the photographs),Malcolm
Ranieri has captured an important part of Britain's
railway heritage in its heyday, before it slipped from view
to become a preservationsist's dream but largely a main
line memory.

About this title

About the Author

Malcolm Edward Ranieri was born in
December, 1945 to an Italian father and
English mother, and lived until his late teens at
Haselor, aWarwickshire village. He still lives
in his favourite county at Ettington, near
Stratford upon Avon. He entered local
government in 1962 and took early retirement
in 1997, as Audit Manager atWarwick
District Council.
Photography has been an all consuming
interest for over 40 years, especially steam
railways all over the world, though his interests
encompass all forms of classic transport,
and photography in general.Malcolm gained
the Fellowship of the Royal Photographic
Society in 1998, and also the Masters award
of the Photographic Alliance of Great Britain
in 2000, and regularly exhibits in photographic
exhibitions all over the country.
Since retiring Malcolm has taken up
photojournalism, reporting for magazines
such as Old Glory. He has been a volunteer
on the GloucestershireWarwickshire Railway
for over 15 years and is currently a Duty
Stationmaster. His previous books for
Halsgrove are The Gloucestershire Warwickshire
Railway and Classic Commercial Vehicles.

Edition details

• Publisher: Halsgrove
• Publication date: 2011
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0857041177
• ISBN 13: 9780857041173
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 144