British Steam Sunset. A Vision of The Final Years 1965-1968 by Jim Blake

This 112 page, black and white pictorial volume portrays a rather gloomy (if natural for the time) picture of BR’s steam during its death throes. In fact, one could almost call it lugubrious, though appropriate. Typical features apply –locos filthy dirty, bereft of nameplates (when they’d once had them) and front numberplates either missing or replaced by crude, hand-painted substitutes. The geographical spread is (obviously) restricted, but most areas where steam survived are represented. Printing values are generally good, with just a few rather ‘muddy’ reproductions. Even though the images are ‘only’ in black and white, they show a wealth of detail for those who might indulge in ‘extreme weathering’: some of the locos shown display heroic levels of decrepitude. An index of locos and locations would have been handy.

ISBN: 978 1473857104. Price: £19.99