Since Richard Trevithick’s first forays into the development of the steam locomotive, Britain’s engineers have been at the forefront of railway technology. Often innovative, and sometimes unfairly maligned, the country’s locomotive engineers continually broke new barriers in traction technology although not everything was successful. From the earliest simple steam locomotives to the latest diesel and electric engines, Britain had led the way in railway locomotion, although competition from European, Japanese and American manufacturers sometimes exceeded what British engineers had achieved. In this new book, industrial and railway historian Dr Richard Marks provides fresh insights into Britain’s role in railway locomotive design and technology, and examines the highlights of British developments from Trevithick’s Coalbrookdale locomotive to the Brush Class 60 diesel locomotive. Based upon new research this useful primer aims to start the reader on a journey of discovery, unravelling some of the myths which have arisen around Britain’s railway history and explaining in an easy to follow narrative why some potentially advantageous developments failed to live up to expectations. In this new survey of 200 years of British locomotive history to accompany the Railway 200 celebrations, the reader is presented with a compelling and easy to read introduction to a complex, but intriguing subject.

Dr Richard Marks is an experienced published historian, researcher, lecturer and tutor with expertise in manufacturing and social history, the Industrial Revolution, Victorian Britain, railway, and military history. He has authored a number of history books and has further books in progress including a series of heritage travel guides. Richard has a background in technology and business, and has worked as a consulting historian for various museum exhibitions. Richard’s PhD looked at the relationship between railways and the industrial and economic development of rural counties in the 19th Century. He is known for his engaging communication style, making complex topics accessible to all audiences.