Upon announcement on RMweb.co.uk on the publication of this book, this was an unsolicited response: 'Great to see Simon Martin's amazing research in printed form. This may well be the definitive work on Thompson!'

The author has seen other works published and as an Asset Engineer for Network Rail, treasurer of the M.N.L.P.S. and member of the Gresley Society, Simon has gone to great lengths to bring us a fascinating account of the life and work of Edward Thompson, his locomotives and his place in the history of the LNER.

This is far from a boring random study with very little research, instead it has been fastidiously put together with full reference and examination of the man and his time on the railway from the period just before Gresley's death and the way in which he handed the baton on to Arthur Peppercorn.

After the tumultuous war years

Along the way the author brings to life in a truly absorbing manner this important wartime period and how the effects of the conflict steered his judgements, advice and design criteria in a way we think has never been seen before. It is no wonder it was applauded by what many would recognise as potentially Edward Thompson's perhaps harshest critics as devotees of Sir Nigel Gresley's work from members of the Gresley Society.

We examine each of Thompson's own designs, and the work carried out on his predecessor's locomotives to bring the best out of them and the resources available at the time.

Contents;

Introduction
Chapter 1: New Evidence
Chapter 2: The L.N.E.R. in Wartime: Problems and Strategy
Chapter 3: 1941
Chapter 4: 1942
Chapter 5: The Stanier/E.S. Cox Report & Bert Spencer
Chapter 6: 1943
Chapter 7: The Rebuilding of the P2s
Chapter 8: 1944
Chapter 9: 1945
Chapter 10: 1946 & Great Northern
Chapter 11: Post Retirement
Chapter 12: Thompson’s Legacy
Chapter 13: Epilogue
Chapter 14: Strengths and Limitations of the Study
Special Thanks
Bibliography & References
Appendices

184 Pages large format portrait copiously illustrated throughout with colour and black & white photographs from the era, tables & graphs. HARDBACK